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Young Ducks showing maturity this postseason
The Ducks are playing above expectations so far in the playoffs, and it's because of the maturity of the young core.
VIEW April jobs report shows continued strength
U.S. employment increased more than expected in April while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, pointing to labor market resilience and reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve would leave interest rates unchanged for some time.
US economy added 115,000 jobs in April, beating expectations
The U.S. economy added jobs at a modest pace last month according to the Labor Department's April 2026 jobs report that was released on Friday.
Bayern Munich are not done yet
Failing to make the Champions League final will sting but Vincent Kompany's side have exceeded expectations and the future looks bright
BCE Beats on AI-Powered Business, Higher Revenue
BCE Inc. beat analyst expectations in the first quarter as its investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure pay off.
Flutter Entertainment’s (NYSE:FLUT) Q1 CY2026 Sales Beat Estimates
Global online betting powerhouse Flutter Entertainment (NASDAQ:FLUT) reported Q1 CY2026 results beating Wall Street’s revenue expectations, with sales up 17....
Kraft Heinz sees early payoff from $600 million brand bet
Kraft Heinz beat Wall Street expectations as CEO Steve Cahillane said investments in core brands are beginning to revive sales and market share at the Chicago food giant.
CVS blows past estimates, hikes outlook as insurance business outperforms
All of the health-care giant's business segments, including its insurer Aetna, its retail pharmacy and health services unit, surpassed expectations.
Infineon Sales Forecast Beats as AI Boosts Power Chip Business
Infineon Technologies AG forecast revenue that beat analysts’ expectations in the current quarter as the German chipmaker benefits from a spending boom on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) Surprises With Strong Q1 CY2026
Theater company AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) beat Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q1 CY2026, with sales up 21.2% year on year to $1.05 billion. Its non-GAAP loss of $0.36 per share was 6.9% below analysts’ consensus estimates.
AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) Surprises With Strong Q1 CY2026
Theater company AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) beat Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q1 CY2026, with sales up 21.2% year on year to $1.05 billion. Its non...
Accel Entertainment (NYSE:ACEL) Exceeds Q1 CY2026 Expectations
Slot machine and terminal operator Accel Entertainment (NYSE:ACEL) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q1 CY2026, with sales up 8.5% year on year to $3...
Sphere Entertainment Posts Showstopping Q1 Performance
Sphere Entertainment beat expectations for the first quarter, thanks to a strong performance by its Las Vegas venue. Sphere stock rose.
Sphere Entertainment (NYSE:SPHR) Surprises With Strong Q1 CY2026, Stock Soars
Content production and distribution company Sphere Entertainment (NYSE:SPHR) reported Q1 CY2026 results exceeding the market’s revenue expectations, with sal...
Paramount earnings, revenue beat expectations as streaming business offers a boost
Paramount Skydance said it added streaming subscribers during the first quarter even as it instituted its first price hike since 2024.
Take-Two CEO Says ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ Expectations Are ‘Terrifying’
The upcoming video game is expected to be one of the biggest entertainment releases of all time
Defying Planetary Science Expectations, Trans-Neptunian Object 2002 XV93 Somehow Has An Atmosphere
Future observations are necessary to understand how this is possible.
An unexpected journey: The Celtics’ raised expectations and back again
That was an abrupt ending to the story of the Celtics season
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field ‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field A field that once seemed like a direct path to stable, lucrative work is becoming less certain under AI, students and faculty told Spectator. By Ria Vasishtha and Arjun Menon May 3, 2026 Shanying Liu / Deputy Illustrations Editor Asia Genawi, SEAS ’29, first encountered artificial intelligence during her sophomore year at her high school in Indiana. Back in 2023, policies on AI varied widely—even within the same district—and some schools had no guidance at all. As Genawi began to see the effects of AI trickle into her classroom, she turned to guidance from her home state’s Department of Education, which she said she found “outdated and inaccessible.” Genawi spent the rest of her high school career dedicated to the issue, including writing a 15-page memo exploring varying AI policies across Indiana schools, which she sent to every Indiana state senator and representative whose contact information she was able to find. She later helped draft a bill that would have required public high schools to establish and share their own AI policies with students in an accessible format. But with so many other bills already awaiting referral, hers never made it to committee. When Genawi arrived at Columbia to study computer science, she found that the gaps she had spent years trying to address in Indiana had followed her there. Many students and professors were also grappling with what AI meant for the field. Across Columbia’s undergraduate schools, computer science has become the most popular major—accounting for around 11 percent of degrees awarded in Columbia College, 32 percent in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and 12 percent in the School of General Studies in 2024. While the number of computer science majors in SEAS grew from 166 to 173 during the 2024-25 academic year, the total number across the three schools fell around 4.5 percent from 393 to 375, driven by declines at Columbia College and General Studies. At Barnard, it has grown to become the second most popular major as of 2025, up from third the year prior. The number of degrees awarded have grown fivefold since 2016. Faculty members and students in the department told Spectator that the surge in the major’s popularity has been driven in large part by its apparent promise of a secure, well-paid career path. However, they noted that the recent rise of generative AI has compromised the sense of stability that once defined the field, even as interest in technical skills among students persists. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2024, out of 74 majors tracked, computer science had the fifth highest unemployment rate among majors at 7 percent, while computer engineering had the second highest at 7.8 percent. “Anecdotally, people are moving away from CS as a major,” Daniel Bauer, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, said. “They’re still taking some of our classes, right, because they think they need that, but they’re instead majoring in other things.” Bauer described a field that had shifted from what he called a “nerdy outlier discipline” to one that “everyone needs,” a sign that technical skills have become a baseline expectation across industries with the emergence of AI. “A lot of people thought, ‘Oh, it’s a guaranteed path to a stable income. You get a six-figure job right out of your undergrad,’” Bauer said. Now, companies may see AI as a way to reduce demand for entry-level programmers, especially in what he calls “code monkey jobs,” roles where a large number of employees are “just writing out code nine-to-five.” Chris Murphy, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, described the current moment as the convergence of two forces: the downturn of the job market and generative AI coming onto the scene. “Things kind of started to really pick up in 2014, 16,” he said, recalling the years after the weaker 2010 market. Murphy added that this was also a period where “students were getting more experience outside of class than they were inside of class” through internships, jobs, and side projects. Murphy suggested that the earlier momentum helped make computer science feel like both an academic program and a reliable pathway into work. That feeling is harder to sustain now as the industry reconfigures, which is a shift that students are seeing firsthand. Rebecca Yu, SEAS ’27, said that during a recent internship in Big Tech, she saw that “every single tech company was racing to integrate” large language models. She added that her manager said her intern class was the first to complete their assigned projects, which she attributed to the increased efficiency that comes with AI. Frank Liu, SEAS ’29, said that with AI lowering the barrier to coding, companies now expect everyone to write code. “A lot of companies outright say if you’re not using coding in your job, you might get fired for not being productive enough,” Liu said. Yu similarly expressed that students increasingly have to accept AI being a part of industry workflow, adding that many also “make use of it to maximize their productivity.” Richard Li, CC ’28, described a “franticness” among his peers as the pace of change accelerates. He explained how “some new tool” is released regularly, noting that tools rise and fall in prominence within weeks. He has come to believe that he doesn’t need to “match that speed all the time” and keep up with every development. Li has learned that AI tools allow him to “take a breath” and “get back into the loop much easier than before” when he needs to. While some companies specifically target Columbia when hiring, sending representatives to campus career fairs and recruiting large numbers from Columbia, a computer science degree cannot be treated as a static credential, Yu described. “You can’t just get your degree and stop learning after that. You have to always be learning,” Yu said. “That is something you basically have to expect for your job.” AI has not only affected students’ decisions to major in computer science, but also reshaped how the subject is taught. Across departments, faculty members no longer treat work done outside the classroom as a reliable measure of understanding, shifting instead toward in-person exams, quizzes, and attendance checks. While homework once made up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a student’s grade in computer science classes, Murphy said that breakdown has since flipped, with exams and quizzes now accounting for the majority. “The assumption—especially among pessimists—is that they’re using it to do their homework,” Murphy said. “They take the homework assignment. They put it into generative AI. Out comes the solution. Submit solution. The end.” Murphy said that faculty members ranged in their responses from fully prohibiting AI use to actively teaching students how to effectively work with AI. He said he shifted his approach this year after his teaching assistants called his belief that students weren’t using the technology “naïve,” and now permits students to use AI on assignments. His surveys of students in his introductory classes have told a more complicated story than the one so-called pessimists offer: Around 60 to 70 percent of students who reported using AI said they used it to have concepts explained to them, to clarify assignment instructions, to generate test cases, or to create practice questions. “Those are all ways that you might have had a tutor in the past to do that, and now you have this AI essentially as your tutor,” he said. Bauer has taken a different approach, teaching students how to use AI productively without sacrificing the core principles of the discipline. “People who are trained to actually use AI tools productively, while being in charge of designing the overall project, will be very much in demand in the next couple of years,” he said. Over the past year, a working group of computer science faculty has been redesigning the introductory and intermediate programming sequence to integrate generative AI as both a subject and a tool, representatives from SEAS wrote in a statement to Spectator. The effort is “coordinated” across the department, “not course-by-course,” with a systematic assessment of how AI integration is affecting student outcomes underway to shape the next round of changes. The goal, the department explained, is for students to be able to “read, verify, and reason about code, whether they or a model wrote it.” Tony Dear, senior lecturer in the computer science department, is piloting individualized AI feedback in a discrete mathematics course, while a machine learning course is also testing a Socratic AI dialogue system designed to “guide inquiry rather than supply answers,” the statement reads. Beyond individual courses, SEAS funded seven cross-departmental faculty projects in generative AI this past academic year, spanning biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, according to the statement. This phenomenon extends beyond the computer science department. SEAS’ new AI minor, which it announced in November 2025, reflects the University’s attempt to adapt. The minor is specifically designed for noncomputer science majors and aims to provide “essential AI knowledge” while emphasizing practical and responsible use across disciplines, according to the SEAS website. At the center of the minor is AI in Context, a course taught by a team of faculty from the departments of computer science, applied mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, and the Writing Center, the representatives told Spectator. Bauer described it as targeted at students who want to bring AI into fields like economics or biology, rather than as a path into software engineering itself. At the graduate level, SEAS announced a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence in February, with the inaugural cohort starting in the fall. While recognizing how AI has helped them navigate coursework, students also described its rise as isolating, even among members of the Application Development Initiative, one of Columbia’s largest computer science clubs. “As people start to ask AI for questions that they would normally ask students and members, it starts to isolate people” Li said. Alexa Kafka, BC ’27, echoed Li’s sentiment, pointing out that computer science has always been a collaborative discipline with code reviews and pull requests, even as AI makes independent work easier. Despite this, Kafka noted that she hasn’t been to office hours “in at least a year.” Bauer added that faculty are exploring long-term solutions to the assessment problem. “One of the things that we’re trying to do at the department or school level is to maybe move towards computerized testing facilities,” Bauer said, referring to ideas in the department to revitalize computer labs as an alternative to pen-and-paper exams. “We have to accept that this is the reality, for better or worse.” But more exams, students say, does not mean better learning, nor does it reflect how computer science is actually done. “Code is so variable and can be approached in so many directions, there’s never just going to be one correct answer. There can be multiple optimal solutions,” Kafka said. Students also expressed concern that the shift toward exam-heavy grading pulls focus away from the applied, project-based work that better reflects both discipline and industry expectations. ADI has tried to respond more quickly than the curriculum can. Through a vibe coding workshop this past semester, club members said they wanted to help students understand not just that AI exists, but how to use it deliberately. “Vibe coding” refers to the practice of prompting AI to write code for a task or project, and has become widespread enough that ADI felt the gap in formal instruction was worth addressing, according to Sophia Huang, BC ’29. The workshop introduced students to the concept of context engineering, which Shaina Sahu, SEAS ’27, described as not just writing a prompt, but optimizing “the rest of the relevant information that you would feed into the model.” Without that, students said that AI-generated code can fail at scale or introduce difficult-to-detect bugs. Genawi said the shift toward AI has changed what it means to be good at computer science. “I think the shift has kind of gone towards what can you create and what can you do, instead of, what do you know,” she said. Indeed, during ADI DevFest, its annual hackathon, Li said more teams are trying to complete their projects than in years past. While sign-ups have historically outpaced submissions, Li said this is beginning to change because teams “have a tool that completes the vision for them.” While many students see AI as an equalizer that lowers the barrier to entry for coding and technical work, Murphy said it also creates new equity concerns inside the classroom around who can afford stronger tools and who already knows how to use them. “The equity issues I worry about are students who have access to paid versions of things versus free versions of things,” he said. Although popular AI models like ChatGPT and Claude have free versions available, both have paid models that can reach over $100 per month, which output different qualities of code. Murphy also pointed to differences in prior exposure to AI literacy itself. “Students who go to high schools or K-12 education, where they’re taught AI literacy, prompt engineering, context engineering, they understand how to do this, as opposed to students who go to schools who don’t teach that,” he said. “Then they come in, and then they’re somehow expected to know how to use these tools.” For Genawi, those disparities begin long before students arrive on campus. “It’s very interesting to consider how lucky you were geographically,” she said. “To be born where you were is influencing your ability to get access to these spaces.” Students like Yu, though broadly apprehensive about the future of computer science, are not without hope. “I’m optimistic, because I think if you’re truly passionate about CS, there will definitely be a place in the field to do something you want to do,” she said. Senior Staff Writer Ria Vasishtha can be contacted at ria.vasishtha@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Staff Writer Arjun Menon can be contacted at arjun.menon@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter and like Spectator on Facebook. Produced with Spectate by Emily Ta
Analysis: Bees reignite European push
Brentford have defied expectations in their first season under Keith Andrews, but their home form - so impressive in the first half of the campaign - was starting to become a worry. The Bees rode their luck at times but, like West Ham, should have scored more, with Mikkel Damsgaard and Igor Thiago both missing clear chances. Sepp van den Berg flashed a header wide late in the first half, but El Hadji Malick Diouf's foul on Dango Ouattara - and Thiago's penalty - settled Brentford nerves.
Business Lookahead: Eyeing oil, US jobs, and European earnings
STORY: From high oil prices and the conflict in the Middle East to U.S. jobs data and corporate earnings, here’s what you need to watch in business and finance in the week ahead.:: Crude and currencyOil prices briefly topped $120 a barrel this week to hit their highest level since 2022 as the war with Iran enters a third month.While the U.S. and Iran face pressure to end a conflict that has shut the Strait of Hormuz, the world watches anxiously as the biggest-ever disruption to energy supplies unfolds.For each week the Strait is closed, keeping oil elevated, the greater the economic risks via higher inflation or weak growth or, for some, both. Oil importer Japan just intervened to prop up a yen that has been weakened by the conflict.A new month is now underway and some traders will be mindful of that old adage, "Sell in May and go away.":: Jobs gyrationsAs the U.S. economy grapples with fallout from the Middle East war, Wall Street's radar turns to Friday's April monthly payrolls report.The U.S. economy likely created 73,000 new jobs, economists polled by Reuters forecast. In March, payrolls increased by 178,000, the most since December 2024, but that followed a sharp decline in February.The U.S. employment data comes amid signs of hawkishness at the Federal Reserve, as Donald Trump pick Kevin Warsh prepares to take over as chair with the U.S. president keen on rate cuts.:: Starmer’s statusThursday's local elections in Britain, usually a non-event for investors, could move markets in a big way, with opinion polls pointing to a heavy defeat for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party.A heavy defeat could spark more widespread demands for his dismissal among his own lawmakers and stoke expectations of a successor more willing to run looser budgets. That would bring more bad news for British bonds.::European earningsIt's a big week for European earnings with Shell and Commerzbank among those reporting.On aggregate, profits are expected to grow 3.2% in Q1, according to LSEG I/B/E/S. Under the surface, it's a little bit more complicated. Growth is expected to be driven by just three sectors: financials, tech and energy. The latter is seen as the biggest beneficiary of the Iran war due to higher oil and gas prices.But if the war, and energy surge, persist, the overall outlook for Europe's earnings could turn.
MGM Resorts' quarterly profit misses estimates amid slower Las Vegas business
MGM Resorts International missed Wall Street expectations for first-quarter profit on Thursday, hurt by weaker performance of its Las Vegas businesses amid ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.
Google Reports 81% Jump in Profits, Beating Wall Street Expectations
The tech giant’s revenue rises 22% in the first quarter.
Earnings call transcript: PENN Entertainment beats EPS expectations in Q1 2026
Earnings call transcript: PENN Entertainment beats EPS expectations in Q1 2026
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: Should You Buy?
AMC Entertainment (AMC) possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.
Astrobotic fires next-generation 'rotating detonation rocket engine' in record-breaking test (video)
"Chakram more than exceeded our expectations."
How The Golden Entertainment (GDEN) Investment Story Is Shifting With Mixed Analyst Sentiment
The fair value price target for Golden Entertainment is now set at US$30.0, effectively unchanged from the prior US$30 level and signaling a steady headline anchor for the story. This static target comes as bullish and bearish analysts weigh steadier execution potential against more cautious expectations and a downgrade in research commentary. As you read on, you will see how to track these shifting views and what they may mean for following the evolving narrative around the stock. Analyst...
Yearbook Advice vs. Seed Business Reality: “Never Change” Is an Awful Strategy
Seed companies can’t rely on “never change” thinking. To stay competitive, leaders must protect customer trust while evolving sales channels, pricing models, digital tools, agronomic insight, and product positioning. Intentional change helps seed businesses adapt to farmer expectations, build resilience, create differentiation, and keep growing in a fast-changing agricultural marketplace.
Lake Erie College renames program to the Master of Reading Science
Lake Erie College in Painesville has officially renamed its Mastery of Literacy program to the Master of Reading Science, reflecting the college’s full alignment with the Science of Reading and Ohio’s updated expectations for educator pre…
Top 5: UFC Vegas 116 ‘Fight of the Night’ candidates
Expectations continue to mobilize behind Youssef Zalal in the court of public opinion. Aljamain Sterling now stands in his way.
How Investors Are Reacting To Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) Upgraded Earnings Momentum And Analyst Sentiment
Sphere Entertainment recently attracted attention after Zacks assigned it a Momentum Style Score of A and a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), reflecting improved analyst sentiment and positive earnings estimate revisions in the period leading up to today. This shift in sentiment highlights how changing expectations for Sphere’s earnings power and momentum profile can influence how investors view its longer-term prospects. Next, we’ll examine how this stronger earnings momentum, highlighted by upgraded...
PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:PENN) Exceeds Q1 CY2026 Expectations
Casino, sports betting and entertainment operator PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:PENN) reported Q1 CY2026 results exceeding the market’s revenue expectations, wi...
PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:PENN) Exceeds Q1 CY2026 Expectations
Casino, sports betting and entertainment operator PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:PENN) reported Q1 CY2026 results exceeding the market’s revenue expectations, with sales up 6.4% year on year to $1.78 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.11 per share was significantly above analysts’ consensus estimates.
UnitedHealth Group Reports Flat First-Quarter Earnings
One of the nation’s largest insurers, the company’s profits were higher than analysts’ expectations but still fell short of showing a significant comeback.
UnitedHealth Group Reports Flat First-Quarter Earnings
One of the nation’s largest insurers, the company’s profits were higher than analysts’ expectations but still fell short of showing a significant comeback.
This Alien Solar System Doesn’t Follow the Rules – and Scientists Are Intrigued
The LHS 1903 system defies expectations with a rocky outer planet, prompting new ideas about how planets form and evolve.
UK's M&C Saatchi warns Mideast war could hit sport and entertainment business
British advertising group M&C Saatchi warned on Monday that the Middle East conflict is likely to significantly impact its sport, entertainment and consumer-facing business, while forecasting 2026 operating profit in line with market expectations.
UK's M&C Saatchi warns Mideast war could hit sport and entertainment business
British advertising group M&C Saatchi warned on Monday that the Middle East conflict is likely to significantly impact its sport, entertainment and consumer-facing business, while forecasting 2026 operating profit in line with market expectations.
AMC Entertainment price target raised to $2 from $1.50 at B. Riley
B. Riley raised the firm’s price target on AMC Entertainment (AMC) to $2 from $1.50 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. Industry box office revenue rose 22% year over year in the period, outperforming expectations and driven by strong releases in March, particularly Project Hail Mary, alongside solid contributions from Scream 7 and Hoppers, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Looking ahead to Q2, box office is expected to grow slightly, with gains in June offset by weaker April
Which 2026 NFL Draft prospects could slide to later picks?
Expectations rarely align with reality in the NFL draft, and these five prospects could have a longer wait than many might have them pegged for.
Netflix shares fall after downbeat revenue forecast, co-founder to leave
Shares in Netflix fell sharply in Europe on Friday after the company forecast revenue growth below expectations and as chairman and co-founder Reed Hastings said he would not seek re-election.
Expectations for 2026 NFL Draft: 'There'll probably be a lot of trades.' Here's who could be on move before and afterward
Temper your post-season expectations for the Cavaliers
The Cavaliers are a sheep in wolves clothing.
Why Promising Cancer Drugs Failed: Scientists Uncover the Missing Piece
A new study helps explain why a promising class of cancer drugs has often failed to meet expectations in clinical trials.
PepsiCo earnings beat estimates as North American food business improves
PepsiCo's quarterly earnings and revenue topped Wall Street's expectations.
Alabama Predicted by CBS Sports to Exceed Expectations
CBS Sports predicts a surprising 10- or 11-win season for Alabama. Can new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb unlock a championship run?
Roundup: Business optimism / Cleveland’s housing answer / America at 250
Slipping further: U.S. small business optimism fell for a third straight month in March, hitting its lowest level in nearly a year as the Iran conflict drove up energy costs and uncertainty. Owners reported weaker expectations for profits, sales and economic conditions, while plans for capital spending dropped sharply. Rising input costs are also prompting […]
J.P. Morgan Sees Resiliency in U.S. Economy Despite Iran War
The nation’s largest bank said it earned record trading profits in the first quarter but tempered expectations overall for its business.
A Look At Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Valuation After Its Mixed Earnings-Driven Share Price Move
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) is back in focus after its latest earnings report, where revenue topped analyst forecasts while adjusted operating income and EPS came in below expectations, yet the share price moved higher. See our latest analysis for Caesars Entertainment. The latest move higher in Caesars Entertainment's share price comes after its earnings release, with the stock showing a 13.54% year to date share price return while the 5 year total shareholder return is still down 69.86%...
The ‘bar has raised’ for UF computer science and engineering students
AI is changing expectations of CSE students entering the workforce
Saturn’s Magnetic Shield Isn’t What Scientists Expected
Saturn’s magnetic shield behaves in a way that defies Earth-based expectations.
UFC adds former title challenger to the White House card
Despite arguably being one of the best six-fight lineups in the company's history, the UFC White House card suffered backlash from fans for not living up to the lofty expectations placed on its shoulders. To combat the noise, Dana White decided to add more firepower to the June 14 event. The ...
Rosenior: Chelsea ‘nowhere near’ expectations against Man City
Liam Rosenior was highly critical of Chelsea’s second-half performance after they fell to a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. The Blues started brightly at Stamford Bridge and even thought t...
Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE:TME) Valuation Check As Options Volatility Climbs And Analyst Caution Grows
Recent trading in Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE:TME) options has shown unusually high implied volatility. This points to expectations of sharp share price swings, while analyst sentiment on the stock and sector remains cautious. See our latest analysis for Tencent Music Entertainment Group. The latest share price of $9.36 sits against a 30 day share price return of 34.04% and a year to date share price return of 47.59%, while the 1 year total shareholder return of 21.48% contrasts...
Former GTA 6 developer warns trailer visuals won't match final gameplay
A former Grand Theft Auto 6 developer has tempered expectations for GTA 6's graphics when it releases, suggesting it will fall short of the trailers.
What banking can teach health care about protecting patient data
The culture and expectations surrounding health data privacy continue to lag behind those that define the financial system.
Debut novel grapples with injustice, expectations
BRATTLEBORO — A "high stakes, dystopian novel" for middle grade readers is a gripping story that explores injustice and societal expectations.
Apple very cautious about iPhone Ultra sales; Samsung wins concession
A new report suggests Apple is being extremely cautious in its expectations of demand for its most expensive ever smartphone,...
Horse Tracks: AFC West offseason expectations
The AFC West is changing this offseason, but the media narratives are all staying the same.
Iowa Business Council Survey: Confidence rises in early 2026
The Iowa Business Council reports increased business confidence in the first quarter of 2026, driven by high sales expectations.
Apple faces supply chain problem as MacBook Neo demand exceeds expectations
The new MacBook Neo has apparently been a smash hit, and Apple will likely talk up its success at its...
How Embed Ushered Family Entertainment Centers Into the Digital Age
Companies such as Embed are working to bring family entertainment centers more in line with current digital expectations.
3 Things to Know: Brands and Social Issues, Adult Recreational Sports League Participation Rebounds, and Sports Betting Partnerships
CivicScience has the world’s largest proprietary database of real-time declared intent, allowing brands to activate high-performing advertising that drives up to 80% better performance. See how our partners achieve superior marketing outcomes here. 1. Consumers hold mixed expectations on brand activism, with Democrats more likely to switch or boycott based on personal values, while Republicans [...]Read More... from 3 Things to Know: Brands and Social Issues, Adult Recreational Sports League Participation Rebounds, and Sports Betting Partnerships
A Look At BrightSpring Health Services (BTSG) Valuation After Strong Revenue Growth And Upgraded EBITDA Guidance
BrightSpring Health Services (BTSG) is drawing attention after reporting a quarter with 16.3% year on year revenue growth and full year EBITDA guidance that exceeded analyst expectations. See our latest analysis for BrightSpring Health Services. The latest $43.10 share price comes after a 2.6% 1 day share price return and a 9.8% 90 day share price return. The 1 year total shareholder return of about 1.5x reflects how investors have reacted to the strong results and recent leadership...
Return to Sport Rates Following Total Knee Arthroplasty
A recent study shows that understanding timelines and key factors could help clinicians give tailored advice and set realistic expectations for their patients undergoing TKA.
DI Sports picks | No. 3 Illinois’ Final Four matchup with No. 2 UConn
The waiting game is coming to an end for No. 3 Illinois as it prepares for its first Final Four appearance in 21 years on Saturday in a revenge game against No. 2 UConn. After two physical, hard-fought wins last week over the No. 2 Houston Cougars and the No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes, the expectations...
Do your kids play sports? Here’s how to keep it fun and stress free
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports 40% to 50% of youth athletes feel stressed by sports-related expectations. So how can parents help their children enjoy the game without feeling overwhelmed?
US economy added 178,000 jobs in March, well above expectations
The Labor Department released the March jobs report on Friday which showed the economy added jobs at a solid pace last month after an unanticipated decline in February.
A Look At Oscar Health (OSCR) Valuation As Positive Commentary And Analyst Optimism Build
What is driving fresh attention on Oscar Health? Oscar Health (OSCR) has moved back into the spotlight after recent comments from Jim Cramer, who highlighted the stock and praised CEO Mark Bertolini, along with increasing analyst optimism ahead of the next earnings report. See our latest analysis for Oscar Health. Recent attention from commentators and rising earnings expectations come after a period of weaker momentum, with a 30 day share price return of 12.8% and year to date share price...
Fairfax launches pilot to help small business owners obtain permits for store renovations
A new Fairfax County government pilot program aims to make life easier for small business owners seeking to make minor alterations before they open their stores. The Tenant Support Services (TSS) initiative is designed to move applicants through the permit approval process more efficiently by providing "early guidance, clear expectations and coordinated review support," county
Wall St futures slide as Trump signals tougher Iran strikes, oil jumps 6%
Futures tracking Wall Street's main indexes slid on Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump signaled more aggressive attacks on Iran, dampening expectations for an end to the month-long war and sending crude prices up 6%.
Coatue Projected $1.995 Trillion Valuation for Anthropic in 2030
In a presentation to prospective investors in January, Coatue offered a rare look at how it justifies Anthropic’s heady valuations. An anonymous source sent me the slides, which give a unique look at how a top investment firm values Anthropic’s business. This is a moment in time when some of America’s most valuable, growing technology companies remain private. In the January presentation, Coatue estimated that Anthropic would lose $14 billion in EBITDA on $18 billion in revenue in 2026, ending the year with $30 billion in annualized run-rate revenue. Most recently, it’s been reported that Anthropic is at $19 billion in ARR, which could suggest Anthropic is already running ahead of Coatue’s expectations. By 2031, Coatue projected that Anthropic would be generating $48 billion in EBITDA profits on $200 billion in revenue, with $224 billion of ARR. That would give Anthropic a 41x forward EBITDA multiple at a projected $1.995 trillion valuation in 2030. Coatue told the investors it was pitching that Anthropic could be worth $2.413 trillion in 2031. In February, Coatue co-led a $30 billion Series G investment in Anthropic that valued it at $380 billion. Coatue declined to comment on this story. I first shared this slide and talked about the presentation on my new podcast, the Cerebral Valley Show, which I host with my CVAI co-hosts Max Child and James Wilsterman. I’ve got a few other slides from the Coatue presentation for Newcomer subscribers.
Predicting Falcons QB battle as Kevin Stefanski discusses expectations for Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr.
Let's take the temperature of the upcoming competition in Atlanta.
Navigating the social media minefield
Scientists and researchers seeking to announce promising findings, exchange ideas or contribute to policy discussions outside of academic circles may find social media an expedient tool.But increasingly, scientists and other professionals are discovering that online platforms can be a double-edged sword: while sharing their work and expertise is crucial for visibility and meeting funder expectations, it also exposes them to baseless criticism and even accusations of spreading false information."It is getting harder and harder for scientists, and researchers in general, to convey their findings without facing attacks on their legitimacy and accuracy of their research," says Valère Ndior, a professor of public law at the University of Western Brittany in Brest, France, who has spent more than a decade studying misinformation on social media. Researchers attempting to challenge deceptive online information may themselves be accused of political bias or not being objective in their research, he explains, adding that some scientists disengage because they feel overwhelmed and unable to sustain meaningful dialogue. "It is quite sad to see in some instances that researchers end up leaving social media altogether because they feel like the pressure is getting too intense or feel threatened," he says.Ndior, a past president of the Francophone Network of International Law, is also involved in European efforts to make science and research findings more accessible to the public. As an ambassador for the Science Comes to Town (SCTT) project, he has participated in recent discussions on public perceptions of science and online misinformation. The European Commission-funded initiative connects Brest and two other cities — Kiel in Germany and Split in Croatia — and aims to strengthen ties between communities, universities and research institutions to promote science awareness and cooperation across Europe.Coordinated campaigns around contentious topicsNdior draws a clear distinction between critical thinking and thoughtless criticism. Yet he sees online discussions being increasingly shaped by suspicious behaviour and coordinated information campaigns — including "raids" aimed at dominating discussions and "astroturfing," where small groups act as larger movements to sway debates. Tracking these patterns has become harder because some platforms have restricted data or charge for it, despite provisions of the European Union's Digital Securities Act aimed at ensuring researchers can have access to such data. According to Ndior, "platforms became more reluctant from the moment access to data became a legal requirement rather than a voluntary initiative."Unfounded claims and scepticism about science existed long before Internet chat groups. But the noticeable rise in online hostility has intensified around contentious topics, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, alongside the weakening of gatekeepers to moderate content.For Ndior, dubious claims about pandemic countermeasures and vaccine safety highlighted the struggle between "balancing freedom of expression and the protection of public health and order." Efforts to remove social media content deemed false or risky for public health triggered accusations of censorship and the silencing of legitimate discussion, and in some cases, legal challenges.Concerns about attacks on the credibility of scientists and researchers have generated a flurry of academic papers in recent years and prompted professional communities to address ways to counter online attacks. Such unease extends to the generation that has grown up with digital media. Ndior points out that his students, some of whom research artificial intelligence regulation, hate speech, online surveillance and other controversial topics, hesitate to share their work or viewpoints online. "Many of them don't want to expose themselves too much because they don't feel ready to be faced with the backlash of other people criticising their research," he explains.Safer harbours for engagementLegal challenges against false or defamatory posts are not necessarily a solution — especially given the trans-jurisdictional nature of the Internet. Lawsuits also take time and money, and if they fail, can be counterproductive. Instead, Ndior advises scientists and researchers to be selective in how and where they communicate. Professional online platforms and moderated discussion spaces offer a better environment for engagement. He also highlights the value of more traditional formats, such as radio interviews and in-person discussions at schools, libraries and science fairs, which encourage dialogue with the public. "Personal contact makes a big difference," he says, while acknowledging that these approaches lack the global reach of social media.Ndior’s interest in digital law and online misinformation stems from his time as a doctoral student in international law in the early days of social media. He began analysing posts from governments and heads of state to determine if they could be considered official and thus used as evidence in litigation. His work attracted media attention and led to conference and speaking invitations. "This was not part of my plan," he says, "but this is what happens as a researcher — your interest is sparked by a certain event or phenomenon, and it suddenly becomes your focus."Ndior believes SCTT provides "a double benefit" for researchers, enabling them to connect with peers and interact with the public. "There is a wide community of people who are not in academia who are critical thinkers looking for opportunities to ask questions, to get information and contribute their ideas,” he says. "I really value that kind of feedback."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Navigating the social media minefield
Scientists and researchers seeking to announce promising findings, exchange ideas or contribute to policy discussions outside of academic circles may find social media an expedient tool.But increasingly, scientists and other professionals are discovering that online platforms can be a double-edged sword: while sharing their work and expertise is crucial for visibility and meeting funder expectations, it also exposes them to baseless criticism and even accusations of spreading false information."It is getting harder and harder for scientists, and researchers in general, to convey their findings without facing attacks on their legitimacy and accuracy of their research," says Valère Ndior, a professor of public law at the University of Western Brittany in Brest, France, who has spent more than a decade studying misinformation on social media. Researchers attempting to challenge deceptive online information may themselves be accused of political bias or not being objective in their research, he explains, adding that some scientists disengage because they feel overwhelmed and unable to sustain meaningful dialogue. "It is quite sad to see in some instances that researchers end up leaving social media altogether because they feel like the pressure is getting too intense or feel threatened," he says.Ndior, a past president of the Francophone Network of International Law, is also involved in European efforts to make science and research findings more accessible to the public. As an ambassador for the Science Comes to Town (SCTT) project, he has participated in recent discussions on public perceptions of science and online misinformation. The European Commission-funded initiative connects Brest and two other cities — Kiel in Germany and Split in Croatia — and aims to strengthen ties between communities, universities and research institutions to promote science awareness and cooperation across Europe.Coordinated campaigns around contentious topicsNdior draws a clear distinction between critical thinking and thoughtless criticism. Yet he sees online discussions being increasingly shaped by suspicious behaviour and coordinated information campaigns — including "raids" aimed at dominating discussions and "astroturfing," where small groups act as larger movements to sway debates. Tracking these patterns has become harder because some platforms have restricted data or charge for it, despite provisions of the European Union's Digital Securities Act aimed at ensuring researchers can have access to such data. According to Ndior, "platforms became more reluctant from the moment access to data became a legal requirement rather than a voluntary initiative."Unfounded claims and scepticism about science existed long before Internet chat groups. But the noticeable rise in online hostility has intensified around contentious topics, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, alongside the weakening of gatekeepers to moderate content.For Ndior, dubious claims about pandemic countermeasures and vaccine safety highlighted the struggle between "balancing freedom of expression and the protection of public health and order." Efforts to remove social media content deemed false or risky for public health triggered accusations of censorship and the silencing of legitimate discussion, and in some cases, legal challenges.Concerns about attacks on the credibility of scientists and researchers have generated a flurry of academic papers in recent years and prompted professional communities to address ways to counter online attacks. Such unease extends to the generation that has grown up with digital media. Ndior points out that his students, some of whom research artificial intelligence regulation, hate speech, online surveillance and other controversial topics, hesitate to share their work or viewpoints online. "Many of them don't want to expose themselves too much because they don't feel ready to be faced with the backlash of other people criticising their research," he explains.Safer harbours for engagementLegal challenges against false or defamatory posts are not necessarily a solution — especially given the trans-jurisdictional nature of the Internet. Lawsuits also take time and money, and if they fail, can be counterproductive. Instead, Ndior advises scientists and researchers to be selective in how and where they communicate. Professional online platforms and moderated discussion spaces offer a better environment for engagement. He also highlights the value of more traditional formats, such as radio interviews and in-person discussions at schools, libraries and science fairs, which encourage dialogue with the public. "Personal contact makes a big difference," he says, while acknowledging that these approaches lack the global reach of social media.Ndior’s interest in digital law and online misinformation stems from his time as a doctoral student in international law in the early days of social media. He began analysing posts from governments and heads of state to determine if they could be considered official and thus used as evidence in litigation. His work attracted media attention and led to conference and speaking invitations. "This was not part of my plan," he says, "but this is what happens as a researcher — your interest is sparked by a certain event or phenomenon, and it suddenly becomes your focus."Ndior believes SCTT provides "a double benefit" for researchers, enabling them to connect with peers and interact with the public. "There is a wide community of people who are not in academia who are critical thinkers looking for opportunities to ask questions, to get information and contribute their ideas,” he says. "I really value that kind of feedback."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Green Bay Packers 2026 NFL Draft Preview
The Green Bay Packers failed to meet the high expectations of their fan base in 2025. The addition of star pass rusher Micah Parsons offered zero relief from a tradition of painful playoff losses. The Packers closed out their 2025 season with a crushing loss to their division rival, the Chicago Bears, following a fourth-quarter […] The post Green Bay Packers 2026 NFL Draft Preview appeared first on The Lead.
Business Lookahead: Gauging the war's impact
STORY: From a worrying drop in stocks to a surge in energy prices from the war in the Middle East to key data on jobs and trade, these are the stories to watch in business and finance in the coming week. ::Look Ahead::War impactThe first quarter is ending with financial markets at the mercy of geopolitics.The Iran war has wiped roughly $7 trillion off global stocks since it erupted.With oil prices up nearly 70% year to date, suddenly interest rates are heading up, rather than down, and energy-hungry AI does not look like such a slam-dunk anymore.Meanwhile, gold has plunged 16% after being nearly unstoppable since the start of 2025.We’ll see whether markets roll on or rollover as the second quarter begins.::Job growth in focusThe U.S. jobs report for March comes out Friday.It will offer a crucial view into the economy's health as investors gauge fallout from the energy price surge.Monthly payrolls are seen rising by 48,000, according to a Reuters poll. February's surprisingly weak report caught Wall Street off guard, showing nonfarm payrolls fell by 92,000 while the unemployment rate increased to 4.4%.Uncertainty over the Iran war is also clouding the economic forecasts for the Federal Reserve, with Wall Street pulling back on expectations for U.S. interest rate cuts this year as the oil price surge fuels concerns about rising inflation.Other U.S. data in the coming week includes retail sales for February and reports on manufacturing and services activity.::Chip checkSouth Korea releases its trade data for March on Wednesday.It will provide an early indicator of how the global economy is holding up in the face of the war and the resulting shock to energy prices. Korea's export-heavy economy is a bellwether for global trade and one of the first to report data from the previous month.Its manufacturing fortunes are of even greater interest than usual, not just because of its dependence on Middle Eastern energy imports, but also because its world-leading DRAM chips are of critical importance to the AI sector and currently in short supply too. ::Inflation assessmentAnd flash euro zone inflation for March is due on Tuesday. After long hovering around the 2% mark, higher energy prices are now expected to push headline inflation up, as they did in 2022. The question is, how large and sustained any jump in inflation might be.Early data is not painting a pretty picture. Private sector growth in the euro zone slowed sharply in March, with input costs rising to their highest in more than three years and supply chains being significantly disrupted.Money markets are now heavily pricing in a rate hike which was almost unthinkable before the Iran war.
Iran war starts to hit global economy, business surveys show
The Iran war is already taking a toll on major economies around the world, according to business surveys on Tuesday which showed how a surge in energy prices and rising uncertainty were dampening activity and pushing inflation expectations higher.
Nintendo Cuts Switch 2 Output by Over 30% on Weak Holiday Sales
Nintendo Co. is cutting back the production of Switch 2 after demand for the $450 gaming console trailed the company’s expectations during the year-end holiday season, particularly in the US.
Kyle Shanahan shares his expectations for 49ers' Trent Williams contract impasse
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area that he's staying out of the team's contract negotiations with Trent Williams.
‘Anyone but Labour’ or ‘anyone but Reform’? Clash of animosities likely to define May local elections
While Labour braces for a rout that could see off Starmer, a rising drive to keep out Farage is complicating expectations
Analyst reveals high expectations for 49ers after free agency spree
Could the 49ers really challenge in 2026?
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Are Fulfilling Lakers’ Expectations
Here comes the Los Angeles Lakers. Don’t look now, but the Lakers are playing some incredible basketball. Not only that, but they also look GOOD doing it. Just a few weeks ago, fans were down on what the ceiling was for this team. Another first-round exit? Maybe a possible Play-In appearance even? But now, the […] The post Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Are Fulfilling Lakers’ Expectations appeared first on The Lead.
Pearl Abyss shares tumble after Crimson Desert fails to meet expectations
Pearl Abyss' shares dropped by nearly 30 percent after reviews for Crimson Desert went live last night.
Duke shrugs off health issues, sets sights on Siena
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Duke enters the 2026 NCAA Tournament with a familiar goal and matching expectations as the No. 1 overall seed.
General Mills offloads Brazil business as sales dip
The Golden Valley-based food company posted profit lower than Wall Street’s expectations, and this latest divestiture will help it focus on pet food and other growing segments.
FNKO Q4 Deep Dive: Entertainment Slate and International Initiatives Guide 2026 Outlook
Pop culture collectibles manufacturer Funko (NASDAQ:FNKO) reported Q4 CY2025 results topping the market’s revenue expectations, but sales fell by 7% year on year to $273.1 million. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.05 per share was $0.02 above analysts’ consensus estimates.
How Investors May Respond To Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Earnings Miss Amid New US$250 Million Buyback
Flutter Entertainment’s latest results showed Q4 revenue of US$4.74 billion, up 24.9% year on year but below analyst forecasts for both revenue and earnings per share. On the same day, the company also launched the fifth tranche of its multi‑year share repurchase program, authorizing Goldman Sachs to buy back up to US$250 million of shares to reduce its share count. We’ll now examine how Flutter’s Q4 earnings miss against analyst expectations reshapes the previously optimistic investment...
Linux Finally Catches Up to Windows with a Game-Changing Performance Feature
For years, the Linux kernel’s scheduler has been world‑class at balancing loads, yet it missed a crucial, cache‑aware instinct. In modern multi‑core systems, that gap can turn into measurable latency, especially when threads bounce between cores that don’t share the same cache. A new upstream feature, often called Cache Aware Scheduling, is now set to change that equation. A cache‑savvy scheduler arrives At the heart of any OS, the scheduler decides which thread runs where and for how long. In modern CPUs, small private caches (L1 and L2) sit beside each core, while a larger Last Level Cache (LLC, typically L3) is shared among groups of cores. When a task migrates across LLC boundaries, its warm data may vanish from the cache, forcing slower trips to main memory. Cache Aware Scheduling keeps related tasks close to their shared LLC, reducing destructive migrations. By respecting cache topology, the kernel minimizes cold‑start penalties and preserves locality that many workloads desperately need. The result is less thrashing, fewer memory stalls, and more consistent throughput. "Keep tasks close to their data, and the system will keep performance close to its peak." Why this narrows the Windows gap Windows has long leaned on topology‑aware, cache‑sensitive heuristics, especially since the Windows 10 era. That advantage helped Microsoft handle hybrid designs with P‑cores and E‑cores, plus complex cluster and NUMA layouts. With cache awareness integrated upstream, Linux brings parity to this vital dimension, without sacrificing its trademark flexibility. The Linux approach remains deeply configurable, reflecting the ecosystem’s breadth across servers, desktops, and embedded devices. It layers atop existing NUMA‑balancing and energy‑aware logic, refining placement rather than reinventing the wheel. Crucially, it aligns scheduling with the hardware’s real shape, not just with abstract CPU counts. Real‑world gains and who benefits Early tests on Intel Sapphire Rapids platforms point to gains in the 30–45% range for select workloads. Those wins appear in cache‑sensitive tasks like in‑memory analytics, high‑thread compilation, and microservices with tight working‑sets. Games and latency‑bound engines can also feel steadier frame‑times, especially when threads share hot assets. The benefits extend to AMD’s 3D V‑Cache parts, where keeping threads near enlarged cache slices prevents needless misses. Hybrid x86 designs with performance and efficiency cores further profit when cache and core roles are scheduled in concert. Even handhelds running SteamOS can squeeze more out of limited power, translating cache locality into smoother play. Key advantages include: Lower end‑to‑end latency Fewer expensive misses to RAM Better multi‑socket and NUMA behavior Improved energy efficiency More predictable QoS under mixed loads Stronger scaling on dense servers Caveats, tuning, and rollout No scheduler change is purely free, and trade‑offs still exist. Favoring locality can reduce cross‑cluster balance if limits are set too tight. Likewise, fairness and utilization must remain healthy, especially under heterogeneous, bursty workloads. Linux’s implementation is designed to be measured and tunable, not a blunt instrument. It cooperates with energy‑aware scheduling for mobile efficiency, and with NUMA‑balancers on big iron. Expect architecture‑specific refinements as vendors surface richer topology hints and cache‑sharing maps. Upstream integration has begun, with broad distribution adoption likely over the next cycles. Many users will encounter the change through standard kernel updates in 2025–2026, depending on distro cadence. Server‑class kernels may enable or tune it sooner for targeted fleets where cache locality is money in the bank. How to think about performance impact Cache Aware Scheduling amplifies gains when your workload is both CPU‑bound and cache‑sensitive. Think tight inner loops, hot code paths, and datasets that fit snugly in shared LLC. It’s less dramatic for I/O‑bound services or memory‑hungry tasks that blow past cache capacity. Still, even modest locality improvements often translate into smoother tail‑latency, which is where user experience and SLAs typically break. Developers can further help by pinning related threads, batching work, and aligning data to reduce cross‑cluster chatter. The scheduler’s new awareness works best when applications expose good hints. The bottom line By understanding and honoring cache topology, Linux removes a subtle yet costly bottleneck. The kernel’s smarter placement keeps hot data hot and work near where it belongs. That narrows a long‑standing gap with Windows, while preserving the openness and tunability Linux champions. For gamers, creators, and operators, the payoff is practical: more consistent frames, faster builds, and snappier services. For the ecosystem, it’s another step toward hardware‑savvy scheduling that turns transistor complexity into real‑world speed. And for Linux itself, it’s a timely upgrade that matches today’s silicon with tomorrow’s expectations.
Worcester Six business park misses 5,000 new jobs target
Brexit and the pandemic are cited as factors behind the Worcester park not matching expectations.
CEO Economic Outlook Index Q1 2026
The Business Roundtable CEO Economic Outlook Index is based on a survey, conducted quarterly since the fourth quarter of 2002, of our member CEOs' plans for hiring and capital spending, and their expectations for sales, over the next six months.
Small biz optimism flat amid opposing forces of better profits, worse sales expectations
Small business optimism was essentially flat month over month in February as deteriorating sales expectations canceled out improved profits from the previous quarter, the NFIB showed Tuesday.
Small biz optimism flat amid opposing forces of better profits, worse sales expectations
Small business optimism was essentially flat month over month in February as deteriorating sales expectations canceled out improved profits from the previous quarter, the NFIB showed Tuesday.
Small business optimism slips further as sales outlook weakens
U.S. small business optimism slipped again in February as owners grew more cautious about future sales and broader economic conditions, Bloomberg writes. The National Federation of Independent Business’ optimism index edged down to 98.8, marking the second consecutive monthly decline and reflecting softening expectations across several key indicators. A major drag on sentiment was the […]
Mental health solutions for the digital age
Ask the digital natives of Gen Z about the source of their biggest mental health challenges, and most will say social media and AI.Several of the nearly 400 guests at the third annual Gen Z Wellness Summit, presented by the Friends of Semel Teen Advisory Council at UCLA on March 8, explicitly named the endless stream of content on their phones as serious stressors. “Everybody is addicted to (Tik Tok) as if they were addicted to substances,” said Jantin Asmar, 17, a senior at Virtual Academy in Antelope Valley. “We’re always chasing that dopamine. We’re expecting that dopamine rush and it’s really decaying our interactions with others.” High school student Jantin Asmar was among nearly 400 people who attended the third annual Gen Z Wellness Summit. (Photo by Sandy Cohen) Even young teens feel pressure to be on social media constantly, both to consume content and collect “likes,” said 13-year-olds Chloe and Sophia, both students at Brentwood School. “Everyone’s always on, and you miss stuff if you’re not on it,” Chloe said, adding that social media’s emphasis on appearances is leading to eating disorders: “That’s a big thing for our generation.”The incessant influx of images and updates creates expectations that “weigh teenagers down,” said Linda Kou, 16, a junior at San Gabriel High School.Even though digital spaces allow people to connect with others beyond their immediate surroundings, it doesn’t always translate to real-life community, said Kelah Morgan, 17, a senior at Animo South Los Angeles Charter High School. High school students Kelah Morgan, left, and Linda Kou, shared about the challenges presented by social media. (Photo by Sandy Cohen) “Even if you see people saying that they relate to you online, it might be hard to find people in your personal life who you see every day who you feel comfortable enough to say, ‘You see me online, but this is me in real life and what I’m actually going through,’” she said.Solutions for our digital timesThe Gen Z Wellness Summit was intentionally designed as a free, in-person gathering where young people interested in mental health from across the southland could meet in person. “Peer support is the most important element of maintaining our mental health in community,” said Helena Hansen, MD, PhD, director of UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.Keynote speakers at the summit addressed AI, social connection and self-empowerment, while breakout sessions included discussions about eating disorders, dating, substance use, phone detox and breathwork. Here are some of the day’s top takeaways:Beware of FOPO: Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, a psychology professor at Columbia University, said that rather than FOMO, or fear of missing out, we ought to be more aware of FOPO: fear of people’s opinions. “Just think about how much your FOPO might be holding you back in your life,” Dr. Kaufman said. “And just that inner contemplation should be enough for you to change your life, because there’s so many things we don’t go after because we have debilitating FOPO.”We don’t need to feel like we’re the best – or what he called “narcissistic self-esteem” – but it’s helpful to acknowledge our own worth, recognize our good qualities and develop self-belief in the skills and talents we’ve cultivated. When we have that – dignity and self-respect, without needing everyone to like us – FOPO is less of a concern.Self-reflection is most effective in community: “When we try to self-reflect alone, we sometimes ruminate,” said Ira Bedzow, PhD, executive director of the Emory University Purpose Project. “But when we self-reflect with people that we trust … (it) allows us to hold ourselves accountable to different ways of seeing and different ways of hearing and different ways of being.”Opening up about our experiences and listening to others are skills we can develop, Dr. Bedzow said.He invited students to participate in what he called a “fishbowl exercise,” where four students sat in a small circle, surrounded by a dozen or so students forming a larger circle. Those in the inner circle answered such questions as: “What stops you from being you today?” and “What helps you feel most like you?”Within minutes, the group in the small circle (the fishbowl), were sharing intimately about their life challenges as those in the outer circle nodded in understanding.After the exercise, one participant said, “I felt like I wasn’t alone, that it wasn’t just me who feels that way.”Another remarked on how “personal” it felt to share face-to-face with others, even strangers.Don’t let AI crush your creativity: Theoretical neuroscientist Vivienne Ming, PhD, has been studying artificial intelligence for more than 20 years. And while she said “it’s reasonable to be concerned” about the fast-growing technology, it can also help humans become better problem-solvers when used strategically.“The smartest thing on the planet today are humans and machines working together creatively,” Dr. Ming said. “What gets more valuable in humans as machines get smarter? Our ability to explore the unknown.“Your unique voice is literally your value to the world … but most of us for most of our lives have been taught to not be unique,” she continued. “Be your own person. Celebrate being different. It is genuinely, measurably, truly valuable.”In a breakout session called “Phone Detox? IYKYK: Living Your Story IRL” led by Don Grant, PhD, students shared their frustrations with AI compromising academic work, art and creativity.“Art is a translation of human experience,” one participant said. “When people use AI, they diminish their own human experience.”Dr. Grant urged them, as “the last generation to remember a world before AI,” to remember the power of imagination and creativity – and to act on it.Remember that social media distorts perceptions: Stuart B. Murray, PhD, PsyD, who directs the Eating Disorders Program and Translational Research in Eating Disorders Program at UCLA, asked the students in his breakout session to take a spontaneous selfie and edit it to conform with society’s beauty standards. All 20 girls in the room immediately got to work, thickening their hair, slimming their faces, plumping their lips.“The pressure to look like what we present on social media can be crippling,” Dr. Murray said. “We now know that social media use is part of a causal pathway into an eating disorder.”Adolescents and young adults are most at risk of developing an eating disorder, he said, with one in three students on college campuses exhibiting clinically meaningful eating-disorder symptoms. More than 4 million people in California will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.Even for those who don’t develop anorexia or bulimia, the ubiquity of modified images online distorts what we consider normal, making us feel worse about ourselves. Remembering that, he and other speakers said, might inspire us to log off occasionally and spend time in the real world with people who love us as we are.
Watch Small Business Optimism Falls Again
For the second straight month, small-business optimism is falling. Sales expectations are weakening, and economic worries are rising. Xero CEO Sukhinder Singh Cassidy joined Bloomberg Open Interest to talk about the pressure points for small business and how owners are bracing for higher prices.
Trump says he's 'not happy' with Iran's choice of new supreme leader
President Donald Trump said he's "not happy" with Iran's new supreme leader choice as Mojtaba Khamenei takes power. Military operation results exceed expectations
EY Consumer Beverage Survey: New consumer research finds health-led choices, generational changes and digital discovery are redefining beverage expectations
The EY organization today released findings from its Consumer Beverage Survey, uncovering three major forces – health, digital engagement and generation shifts – that are reshaping beverage choice and consumption behavior. The study, based on a survey of more than 2,500 consumers across the US and Brazil, explores how these evolving preferences are redefining what people expect from beverages today, and what they will demand tomorrow.
Assessing Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) Valuation After Macquarie Downgrade To Neutral
Macquarie downgrade puts Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) in focus Macquarie’s decision to downgrade Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE:TME) from Outperform to Neutral has pushed the stock back into the spotlight, as investors reassess expectations around China’s largest online music streaming platform. See our latest analysis for Tencent Music Entertainment Group. At a share price of US$13.62, Tencent Music’s recent 30 day share price return of 16.65% and 90 day return of 25.9%...