Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talkWASHINGTON -- President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Andrew Ferguson as the next chair of the Federal Trade Commission . He will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars' worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior . Ferguson is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, which is currently made up of three Democrats and two Republicans. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. The new chair is expected to appoint new directors of the FTC's antitrust and consumer protection divisions. “These changes likely will make the FTC more favorable to business than it has been in recent years, though the extent to which is to be determined,” wrote Anthony DiResta, a consumer protection attorney at Holland & Knight, in a recent analysis . Deals that were blocked by the Biden administration could find new life with Trump in command. For example, the new leadership could be more open to a proposed merger between the country’s two biggest supermarket chains, Kroger and Albertsons, which forged a $24.6 billion deal to combine in 2022. Two judges halted the merger Tuesday night. The FTC had filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this year to block the merger, claiming the deal would eliminate competition, leading to higher prices and lower wages for workers. The two companies say a merger would help them lower prices and compete against bigger rivals like Walmart. One of the judges said the FTC had shown it was likely to prevail in the administrative hearing. Yet given the widespread public concern over high grocery prices, the Trump administration may not fully abandon the FTC's efforts to block the deal, some experts have said. And the FTC may continue to scrutinize Big Tech firms for any anticompetitive behavior. Many Republican politicians have accused firms such as Meta of censoring conservative views, and some officials in Trump's orbit, most notably Vice President-elect JD Vance, have previously expressed support for Khan's scrutiny of Big Tech firms. In addition to Fergson, Trump also announced Tuesday that he had selected Jacob Helberg as the next undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment. ___
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Report England declare after Root century, New Zealand set 583 Record chase required by hosts after Joe Root ices the cake with 36th Test ton Alan Gardner 07-Dec-2024 • 12 mins ago Joe Root celebrates after bringing up his century • Getty Images {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","contentUrl":"https://img1.hscicdn.com/image/upload/f_auto/lsci/db/PICTURES/CMS/392500/392585.jpg","caption":"Joe Root celebrates after bringing up his century"} England 280 and 427 for 6 dec (Root 106, Bethell 96, Duckett 92, Brook 55) lead New Zealand 125 (Atkinson 4-31, Carse 4-46) by 582 runs England batted on for 6.3 overs before declaring their innings closed on the third morning at Basin Reserve. That was enough time for Joe Root to notch his 36th Test hundred, his dismissal two balls later allowing Ben Stokes to pull the plug and set New Zealand a target of 583 to win. No team has successfully chased down more than 418 in the fourth innings of a Test - in fact, only in the timeless Durban Test of 1939 have more runs been scored, regardless of the result. The fact that there was the better part of three full days left in this game underlined the scale of the challenge for New Zealand. The morning session came with the famed Wellington winds buffeting the ground, but unlikely to blow England off course; their record second-innings advantage of 533 after two days of play a clear indicator of which side was on top. Stokes had swung for the pickets from the off on the second evening, and began by swiping two off Will O'Rourke's opening delivery. Not many came out of the middle initially, but with New Zealand spreading the field, easy runs were on offer for the sixth-wicket pair. Matt Henry missed a sharp return chance off a Stokes' drive in the second over, before Root clubbed the first boundary through midwicket. He picked up two more fours in Henry's next over to move into the 90s, another glance off O'Rourke then persuading New Zealand to take the second new ball. Root had batted serenely, and went to his pet shot with the hundred in sight. This time the reverse-ramp came off his gloved hand as he tumbled over in the crease, but cleared Tom Blundell and bounced away for four to bring up three figures, an impudent smile on the face of England's record run-scorer. He hit the next ball in orthodox style through long-off, before a thick edge was well held by the diving Blundell to give the deserving O'Rourke a wicket. At which point Root and Stokes charged off, ready to get going in England's pursuit of 10 wickets. Joe Root England New Zealand New Zealand vs England ICC World Test Championship England tour of New Zealand Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick Get latest cricket updates on WhatsApp
MARKET REPORT: Catering giant Compass cashes in as staff return to the office By HUGO DUNCAN Updated: 22:33, 26 November 2024 e-mail View comments Shares in Compass Group hit a record high as the world’s largest catering firm cashed in on workers returning to the office. The FTSE 100 company rose 1 per cent, or 27p, to 2680p – giving it a value of nearly £45billion and taking gains for this year to 25 per cent. The stock has risen nearly 170 per cent since its Covid-19 lows in early 2020 when lockdown restrictions closed offices, schools and other buildings – hitting demand for its food. The latest rally came after Compass, which serves 15m meals a day or 5.5bn a year in schools, offices, hospitals, sporting venues and government buildings around the world, reported a 10.8 per cent rise in annual revenues to £33billion. Profits in the 12 months to the end of September rose 11.7 per cent to just over £2billion and the company hiked its full-year dividend by 13.7 per cent per share. The company, which started out feeding munitions workers in wartime factories in the early 1940s, floated on the London stock market in 1988 and joined the FTSE 100 in 1998. Dishing it up: Compass Group rose 1%, giving it a value of nearly £45bn and taking gains for this year to 25% The shares have risen in each of the last 19 years apart from 2020 when it was laid low by the pandemic. ‘Compass has put together a recipe for dependable growth in an attractive market,’ noted Derren Nathan, head of equity research at broker Hargreaves Lansdown. It was a jittery day on global stock markets after Donald Trump announced plans to slap tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico – some of the USA’s biggest trading partners. The FTSE 100 fell 0.4 per cent, or 33.07 points, to 8258.61 and the FTSE 250 lost 0.9 per cent, or 180.61 points, to 20568.65. Aerospace parts maker Melrose Industries was on the front foot, however, after JP Morgan raised its price target to 850p from 650p and said the stock was ‘significantly undervalued’. Shares rose 7.7 per cent, or 40.4p, to 567.6p. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Minister demands rapid rates reform: Reynolds urges Reeves... Royal Mail edges closer to foreign takeover as Business... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Burberry shares rose 2.8 per cent, or 25p, to 925.8p – their highest level since June – as their recent recovery continued. The luxury brand’s stock is still down around a third this year, however. per centTesting and certification firm Intertek rose 3.3 per cent, or 150p, to 4662p after it said it was ‘well on track’ to deliver a strong performance this year. Shares in utilities bundling firm Telecom Plus gained 2.2 per cent, or 38p, to 1800p as it stuck to profit forecasts for the year despite warning the Budget will add £3m to its annual costs. Annual profits at Topps Tiles nearly halved to £6.3million as it grappled with a tough home improvement market and cautioned over ‘significant’ cost pressures in 2025. Shares slid 1.3 per cent, or 0.5p, to 39p. Sausage maker Cranswick reported a 6.1 per cent rise in first-half revenues to £1.3billion and a 3.8 per cent increase in profits to £90.2million. With demand strong in the run up to Christmas, the pork and poultry producer said it expects full-year results to be ‘in line’ with City expectations. But shares fell 3.8 per cent, or 190p, to 4880p. Commercial property firm London Metric lost 0.3 per cent, or 0.5p, to 190p after profits and rental income jumped after it bought real estate investment trust LXi. Stock Watch - Severfield Shares in Severfield crashed after it warned profits for the year will be lower than previously thought. The construction company reported a 17pc rise in revenue to £252.3m in the first six months of the year. But it made losses of £5.8million, having turnedillion a profit of £11million in the same period last year, and said the predicted recovery in certain areas has been slower than previously anticipated. Shares slumped 36.2 per cent, or 31.6p, to 55.6p. 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That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence. More top storiesCOPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — For a pair of lower-level downhill events, this sure had plenty of Olympic medal-capturing and World Cup-winning ski racers. The stage belonged to Lindsey Vonn, the 40-year-old who took another step on her comeback trail Saturday with her first races in nearly six years. Vonn wasn't particularly speedy and finished in the middle of the pack on a cold but sunny day at Copper Mountain. Times and places weren't the mission, though, as much as getting used to the speed again and gaining the necessary points to compete on the World Cup circuit this season. Vonn accomplished both, finishing 24th in the first downhill race of the day and 27th in the second. She posted on social media after the FIS races that she had enough points to enter World Cup events. The timing couldn't be more perfect — the next stop on the women's circuit is Beaver Creek, Colorado, in a week. Vonn, who used to own a home in nearby Vail, hasn't committed to any sort of timetable for a World Cup return. “Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my teammates again!” Vonn wrote on X. “While I’m sure people will speculate and say I’m not in top form because of the results, I disagree. This was training for me. I’m still testing equipment and getting back in the groove.” Her competition — a veritable who's who of high-profile ski racers — applauded her efforts. “I don't expect her to come back and win — just that she comes back and she has fun,” said Federica Brignone of Italy, a former overall World Cup champion and three-time Olympic medalist. “She's having fun, and she’s doing what she loves. That’s the best thing that she could do.” In the first race on a frigid morning, Vonn wound up 1.44 seconds behind the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds posted by Mirjam Puchner of Austria. In her second race through the course later in the morning, Vonn was 1.53 seconds behind Cornelia Huetter of Austria, who finished in 1:05.99. Huetter is the reigning season-long World Cup downhill champion. “It’s really nice to compare with her again, and nice to have her (racing) again,” Huetter said. “For sure, for the skiing World Cup, we have a lot of more attention. It's generally good for all racers because everyone is looking.” Also in the field were Nadia Delago of Italy, who won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and Puchner, the Olympic silver winner in super-G in Beijing. In addition, there was Marta Bassino of Italy, a winner of the super-G at the 2023 world championships, and two-time Olympic champion Michelle Gisin of Switzerland. “For me, it was really a training, but it was fun to have a World Cup race level right here,” Gisin said. “It was a crazy race.” Vonn remains a popular figure and took the time after each run to sign autographs for young fans along with posing for photos. When she left the sport, Vonn had 82 World Cup race victories, which stood as the record for a woman and within reach of the all-time Alpine record of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s mark held by Vonn was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has 99 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport. Shiffrin is currently sidelined after a crash in a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. Vonn’s last major race was in February 2019, when she finished third in a downhill during the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist left the circuit still near the top of her game. But all the broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments took too big a toll and sent her into retirement. She had a partial knee replacement last April and felt good enough to give racing another shot. “It's very impressive to see all the passion that Lindsey still has,” Gisin said. Also racing Saturday was 45-year-old Sarah Schleper, who once competed for the United States but now represents Mexico. Schleper was the next racer behind Vonn and they got a chance to share a moment between a pair of 40-somethings still racing. “I was like, ‘Give me some tips, Lindsey,’” Schleper said. “She’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a highway tuck, the whole thing.’ Then she’s like, ‘It’s just like the good old days.’"NoneNone
NoneI ditched my best friend's wedding because I had work and she refused to change the date: 'I was maid of honour... I cut up my dress' A young woman has stood her friend up on her wedding day READ MORE: My friend dumped me after her hens over one mistake By BELINDA CLEARY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 23:27 GMT, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 23:50 GMT, 10 December 2024 e-mail 23 shares 1 View comments A young woman has revealed how she ditched her best friend's wedding and opportunity to be maid of honour for a work function. Amy Dickinson, from Queensland , said she was super excited about her childhood friend's wedding - and eagerly began planning with her. They shopped for dresses, discussed venues and various decorations. That was, until the invitation arrived in the mail and Amy realised it clashed with a work event. The glamorous blonde took to TikTok with the story, and explained she couldn't change her work event and her friend refused to change the wedding date. So, she cut up the dress and sent it back in six pieces with the formal invitation. Speaking to FEMAIL, Amy said she has now blocked her friend from being able to contact her on any platform - throwing away a friendship which began in year one and lasted for more than 20 years. At first glance Amy is the villain in this story - but as it unfolds she begins to win people over. She explained her friend, who she considered a bonus sister, had always been a little jealous of her, trying to knock her down a notch at every opportunity. Amy Dickinson from Queensland said she was super excited about her childhood friend's wedding - and began planning it with her 'We would go shopping and something would look amazing and she would screw her face up and say she hates it - but then something would look awful and she would say to buy it,' Amy said. She added that she and her friend had always dreamed of going into business together - but none of their ideas really made it beyond their chats. This is an important detail because Amy believes her friend is jealous of what happened next. She and her sister ended up coming up with a business venture dubbed 'the Social Summit' - a conference for TikTokkers and business-minded creators. Amy and her sister planned the event for February 6, 2025 and she couldn't wait to reveal the business idea to her friend. When she did, her friend's reaction was flat. 'She wasn't excited for me and I could tell she was almost p***ed off,' Amy said. Her friend then said she didn't know if she would be available on February 6. Amy, confused, asked why. Amy said she was confused by the drama and has blocked her friend Her friend said she had been thinking about the day as her wedding date. This took Amy by surprise as her friend wasn't even engaged at that point. 'As time went on every time I brought up the business my friend had nothing positive to say,' she said. Fast forward a few months to September and her friend called to reveal her partner had finally proposed. 'I am so excited for her, she asked me to be her maid of honour and I said yes. We started shopping for dresses together, organised the guest list, picked the colour scheme... and then it came to the date. 'She was insistent that she has to get married in February. I said to her - as you know the only date I can't do is 6th Feb, 2025. She would roll her eyes.' Her friend went on to find the perfect venue - but called Amy to let her know it was only available on February 6. Read More My friend dumped me and uninvited me from her lavish wedding after I broke an unspoken 'hen's night rule' - I haven't heard from her since Amy explained that she had already booked her own work event in, negotiated speakers and started selling tickets. She said she felt 'horrible' because she wanted to be there for her friend on her big day, but couldn't abandon her commitments. Then her friend called and said the venue had found another date. 'I was like oh my God - it feels like everything is back on track with my best friend we are both so excited for her big day,' she said. The the invite arrived. The 6th of February. So Amy called her friend who told her the venue had made a mistake and the first Thursday of the month was the only available date. 'I was so p***ed off by that point. I just said "it sounds like so much fun, it is such a shame I won't be able to make it",' Amy said. Her friend was furious. 'She said "What do you mean you won't make it?",' Amy said. Amy reminded her that the business event she had been working on for a year was on the same day. 'She said "How could you do this to me, you are my maid of honour. You are really going to put some business before our friendship. You are like my sister. And I have already paid for your dress",' Amy recalled. 'I said to her "That's fine you can have the dress back"... the dress was fugly anyway. 'I then proceeded to cut that dress into six pieces and mail it to her.' The friendship doesn't appear salvageable and dozens of people have warned Amy against tryingt to make amends. 'You did nothing wrong, actually you need to walk away from this friendship,' one woman said. The friendship doesn't appear salvageable. And dozens of people have warned Amy against trying to make amends 'You definitely need to reconsider this friendship and boundaries. She doesn't sound like your best friend. Best friend and longest friend are different,' said another. Others said there is only one way to work out if it is really time to ditch the friend. 'Call the venue and check availability in February,' one woman said. Some people didn't even make it that far into the story. 'I lost it at she wasn't even engaged,' one woman said. Another shared her devastating best friend wedding story. 'My "best friend" decided to have her wedding ON MY BIRTHDAY and I found out through TikTok after she posted a video of the final lineup that I was not one of her 12 bridesmaids,' she wrote. Others asked if the story was made up in order to promote the event. Amy told FEMAIL she's thrilled people think she is 'that clever' but the story is true. TikTok Queensland Share or comment on this article: I ditched my best friend's wedding because I had work and she refused to change the date: 'I was maid of honour... I cut up my dress' e-mail 23 shares Add commentCNN wants the North Carolina lieutenant governor's defamation lawsuit against it thrown out
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -Bayern Munich battled past 10-man Paris St Germain 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to Kim Min-jae's winner on Tuesday to improve their chances of automatic qualification and leave the visitors in trouble after a third loss in the competition. It was the second straight win for Bayern in the competition after a rocky start of one victory and two defeats, lifting them to 11th with nine points from five games, a point off the top eight places that bring automatic qualification for the last 16. Luis Enrique's PSG are 26th on four, outside the playoff spots with three matches remaining in the first phase. Bundesliga leaders Bayern, who visit Borussia Dortmund on Saturday before next week's German Cup last-16 clash at home to holders Bayer Leverkusen, had the better start against PSG and two early opportunities through Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane. The visitors responded with a double chance of their own but neither Ousmane Dembele, who was sent off just before the hour mark, nor Joao Neves could beat goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. With PSG's only win so far coming against Girona in their opener they were desperate for points but Bayern struck first with South Korea's Kim heading home from close range after keeper Matvei Safonov fluffed a corner in the 38th minute. Before the French side's defence had time to recover Bayern almost scored a second five minutes before halftime with Kingsley Coman firing over the bar after a solo run. Things got worse for Luis Enrique's PSG side when Dembele was dismissed for a lunging tackle that brought a second booking in the 57th, leaving an already struggling side down to 10. Bayern tried to make the most of the extra man, piling pressure on the visitors, and Coman came close again in the 66th minute, narrowly missing the target after a quick passing move. Safonov made amends for his earlier mistake by tipping a Musiala shot onto the post, but despite some late pressure PSG could not prevent Bayern claiming a seventh consecutive victory and seventh straight clean sheet in all competitions. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Ken Ferris)Nikola Jokic: Runaway MVP has best season ever
While fans have been travelling from all over Australia to visit , the Italian-born chef has announced that he and are teaming up for an exciting new culinary project. The duo, who , took to social media over the weekend to share that they are hosting a pop-up restaurant in Sydney for one night only. Members of the public are encouraged to “step into the heart of Puglia” and taste the pair’s cooking at Cucinetta, an Italian restaurant in Sydney overlooking the harbour, on Monday, December 16. Simone and Viviana have teamed up with Chef Vincenzo to create a menu that showcases “the very best of Italian cuisine”. The event will feature live cooking stations with wood-fired pizzas, creamy pasta in a cheese wheel and handmade cheeses, bottomless drinks, antipasto and live music. Tickets are $260 per person, which is inclusive of all food, drinks and entertainment. Fans have since taken to social media to express their excitement over the “exciting” event, with their co-star even admitting that he wished he lived in Sydney. “This sounds fabulous,” another added, with someone else writing, “Love Viviana & Simone. You two definitely have a brilliant, successful future ahead of you”. “We have to go!” one person shared while tagging their friend, followed by a different user who said, “The best! I can’t wait!”. Others also encouraged the pair to launch pop-up restaurants all over the country so they could try their food. “Come to Adelaide!” one person wrote, followed by another who said, “Please come to Perth”. “Looks amazing but I can’t come because you’re in Sydney! Please come to Melbourne,” a different user replied. The announcement comes shortly after Simone told that while he and Viviana don’t have any plans to open a restaurant together, they are hoping to launch their own cooking show in the future. “That would be something we would consider because when we cook, if there is no pressure behind us, we can be very funny and we can play around and we can create very good dishes,” he detailed. “So that would be something we would really consider, and hopefully we will be given the chance to do it.” Viviana added that her ideal show with Simone would be one where they get to travel around the world together. “I would love to do something that involves travelling, like Simone and I going around, trying different foods and learning from other cultures,” she said. “We show our culture to them, and they show us theirs. I would love something like that.” “We will find the right format for us and hopefully someone will make it happen,” Simone remarked.President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that his eldest son’s longtime fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, will serve as US ambassador to Greece in his incoming administration — after sources spilled to The Post that he and Guilfoyle recently split up. “For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally,” Trump, 78, posted on Truth Social. “Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics along with her sharp intellect make her supremely qualified to represent the United States, and safeguard its interests abroad,” the president-elect added. Trump argued that Guilfoyle, 55, is “perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece” and will advance US interests on issues “ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation.” But insiders revealed earlier Tuesday that Don Jr. and Guilfoyle’s relationship had been on the rocks for some time — with the two hinting at the rift in recent public spats at the incoming president’s West Palm Beach, Fla., resort. “Don and Kimberly haven’t been getting along over the past year,” one source said. “They get argumentative at Mar-a-Lago in front of people. Nothing crazy, but you know when a couple is fighting. They bicker in public.” Photos have also emerged of Don Jr. out and about with Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson.None
