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Sonic & Chili's: Leave guns at home

Written By limadu on Sabtu, 31 Mei 2014 | 12.09

chilis no guns

Chili's told guests Friday to "refrain from openly carrying firearms into our restaurants."

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Chili's, which is owned by Brinker International (EAT), said Friday, "We kindly ask that guests refrain from openly carrying firearms into our restaurants and we will continue to follow state and local laws on this issue."

Sonic (SONC) said, "We're asking that customers refrain from bringing guns onto our patios or into our indoor dining areas."

Related: Chipotle: Guns not welcome here

In recent months, gun enthusiasts have held rallies and openly carried firearms, including large automatic weapons, into restaurants. It's alarmed customers and led to campaigns against guns in restaurants from advocacy groups like "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America."

Earlier this month, Chipotle (CMG)said it did not want customers to bring guns into its restaurants "unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel."

Last year, Starbucks (SBUX, Fortune 500) also told customers they shouldn't bring guns into its stores. The company said the debate about whether people should openly carry guns had become increasingly uncivil and that the chain did not want its stores to be used as a political stage. To top of page

First Published: May 30, 2014: 5:52 PM ET


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Hot stocks: 5 sizzling performers in May

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

While there were many winners this month (sorry Whole Foods (WFM, Fortune 500) -- you definitely didn't make the cut), check out the rankings of the five hottest companies in the S&P 500 in May.

1. Netflix: Binge watching is the new black

Netflix (NFLX) was hammered by the risk aversion on Wall Street in recent months. The streaming movie rental service saw its shares slump 26% in March and April.

But investors quickly realized that lovers of "Breaking Bad" and "House of Cards" aren't abandoning Netflix any time soon. Shares spiked 30% in May, making it easily the best performer in both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100.

Netflix also announced a price increase for new members and plans to expand services to six more European countries: France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech 30 Index

2. Electronic Arts: The World Cup effect?

The second hottest S&P 500 stock this month can trace its sparkling performance to a single day: May 6.

That was the day Electronic Arts (EA) blew Wall Street's socks off with earnings that crushed expectations. Buoyed by sales of games for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game maker also sounded a very positive tone for the rest of the year and unleashed a $750 million stock buyback.

The company, known as EA, also highlighted how strong its sports titles are, especially the blockbuster FIFA game ahead of this summer's World Cup. EA is one of the few non-apparel companies to serve as a major sponsor of top soccer stars.

Other video game makers have also enjoyed success this year, including France's Ubisoft (UBSFF), Activision Blizzard (ATVI) and Take-Two Interactive (TTWO).

After EA's 23% surge in May, the company has spiked 52% so far this year, good for No. 3 in the S&P 500 in 2014.

Related: Three tech stocks worth buying

3. Green Mountain juiced by Coke (again)

It's been a wild ride this year for investors of the company formerly known as Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.

Keurig Green Mountain (GMCR) spiked 36% in February after Coca-Cola (KO, Fortune 500) acquired a 10% stake in the company for $1.25 billion. But the coffee maker slumped 11% in April and continued to face skepticism from short sellers like hedge fund giant David Einhorn.

Coke came to the rescue once again, announcing plans on May 13 to boost its stake to 16%, adding more than $1 billion more. Green Mountain also impressed Wall Street wtih a 22% jump in profits.

The final result for Green Mountain is a heavily caffeinated 21% return for the month.

4. TripAdvisor charts an upward course

The online travel site finished April a hefty 26% below its all-time high, which was just the month before. But TripAdviso (TRIP)didn't stay home and pout.

The company unveiled a flurry of acquisitions during the month, including European restaurant service Lafourchette, travel guide site Tripbod and Vacation Home Rentals.

TripAdvisor also pleased investors by posting bullish results on May 6 that revealed a 22% jump in revenue and a 44% boost to traffic.

The stock is up 20% in May.

5. SanDisk by a nose

SanDisk (SNDK, Fortune 500), which makes flash memory, benefited from an overall rebound in tech stocks this month.

The company ended May with a 13.7% rally, narrowly besting Tiffany (TIF) for the No. 5 spot amongst S&P 500 stocks.

SanDisk pleased investors by hiking its quarterly dividend by 33% on May 7 after posting a 62% jump in earnings in April.

Related: The wealthy are spending again, baby. Luxury stocks are back

Honorable mention: Tiffany soared 13.6% during May and was easily the month's best performing retailer in the S&P 500. The company has sparkle, but not quite enough for the top 5.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported that investor Carl Icahn increased his stake in Netflix during the month. To top of page

First Published: May 30, 2014: 3:05 PM ET


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Want Beyoncé tickets? Wait till the last minute

summer concert beyonce

Beyoncé and Jay-Z will be kicking off their tour at Sun Life Stadium in Miami in June. Last year, she played smaller arenas.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The reason: Unlike last year, some of the hottest concerts -- Beyoncé, Rihanna, and One Direction -- are all playing at big stadiums.

Larger venues mean more tickets.

"As we get closer to the shows, ticket brokers who hold big blocks of seats will start to release their inventory, and there will be plenty of inventory this year," said Chris Matcovich, who runs data and communications for ticket search engine TiqIQ.

Matcovich says chances are, people will be able to get tickets the day before and even on the day of the event, especially if they don't care where they sit. However, he advises discerning concert goers who want choice seats not to wait till the day before. To be on the safe side, they should buy tickets a week or two before the performance.

Related: Apple buying Beats for $3 billion

Usually, when concert tickets are first released, only a few lucky fans are able to snag seats through Ticketmaster or parent Live Nation (LYV, Fortune 500). The rest are left to find tickets that are resold via StubHub, TicketNetwork, SeatGeek, or even eBay.

That's because ticket brokers, credit card companies, venue owners, and even fan clubs tend to snatch up large blocks of tickets as soon as they are sold. While brokers hope to sell at higher prices, companies use them as a special currency for VIP's.

But this year, they might end up holding on to more seats than they can fill until it's too late.

And that usually leads to last-minute discounts.

Consider this: The British boy band One Direction, a rage among American tweens and teenagers, will be playing this summer at 70,000- to 80,000-seat football fields. Last year, they played at 20,000-seat arenas.

The same holds true for Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who'll be kicking off their tour at Sun Life Stadium in Miami in June. Last year, the Queen B played smaller arenas.

Tickets are already selling at lower prices this year, according to TiqIQ.

In 2013, the average price of a One Direction ticket was selling for $433. This year, it's selling for $236, according to TiqIQ.

Similarly, tickets for Beyoncé's show last year cost $399. This year they're selling around $274.

And if Matcovich is right, chances are they could go even lower. To top of page

First Published: May 30, 2014: 3:03 PM ET


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Britain, Italy include drugs and sex in GDP

Written By limadu on Jumat, 30 Mei 2014 | 12.09

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The U.K.'s Office of National Statistics announced Thursday that paying for drugs and sex adds about £10 billion ($16.7 billion) a year to the economy. The British government is now including prostitution and narcotics sales in its official Gross Domestic Product (GDP) statistic. That's the oft-cited measure of how much a country's economy grows or contracts.

Overall, illegal activities are still a small part of the U.K. economy -- a mere 0.7%, according to government estimates.

The reason for the change is to harmonize economic reporting across the European Union. Prostitution and some drugs are legal in the Netherlands, and the Dutch count those activities in official government statistics.

Since prostitution and many narcotics are still illegal in the United Kingdom, the government is using a combination of police seizures and other data to estimate how much money these activities are adding to the economy.

Related: High-tech sex workers in Silicon Valley

Governments often use surveys to gather this information, but drug dealers are unlikely to answer those.

Italy made a similar announcement last week that it would begin measuring narcotics and sex work in its GDP, generating "mafia economy" jokes as the news reached social media.

But the Brits and Italians aren't the only ones who measure illegal business activity in their countries. Estonia, Austria, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and Norway do as well.

Even the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures prostitution as a part of Nevada's state GDP.

"Where prostitution is legal, we will count it," says spokesman Thomas Dail.

In Nevada, the BEA counts prostitution under "other personal services," where it gets rounded up with small industries like personal trainers and party planning.

"It's one of those hodge-podge categories," Dail says.

The BEA is now doing the same for Washington and Colorado's marijuana industries.

Related: Investors high on marijuana despite risks

In Colorado and Washington, the marijuana business gets sized up in categories like retail or agriculture, depending on the point of sale, he says. To top of page

First Published: May 29, 2014: 4:04 PM ET


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Here is ousted RadiumOne CEO Gurbaksh Chahal's letter to the board

(CNNMoney)

To the Board of Directors of RadiumOne:

As you all know, I resigned from the board of directors on Tuesday. In light of recent events and to stay transparent and forthright, you give me no other vehicle than an open letter to communicate adequately.

I am deeply disappointed by your actions and decisions over the last few weeks.

All of you were well aware of the legal matter I had been struggling with since August, just as you were aware that of the exaggerated allegations against me. You supported me from the beginning both in person and in writing, and you made it clear that you had every intention of standing by me until justice prevailed.

In August 2013, when this incident first arose, I even suggested Bill Lonergan to take over as CEO while I battle to clear my name and you were against that idea. You gave me your full support, confirming that I was still the best person to lead the Company. So, I continued to honor my commitment to you and to grow the company.

In my effort to maintain full transparency, I kept you abreast of my case. I was always forthright and honest during our conversations, text messages, emails, and board meetings.

Soon enough, the potential for an IPO for RadiumOne became a reality, and in December we started meeting with banks. We even created an IPO sub-committee, which was tasked with submitting a progress report every two weeks.

Since my case was still in limbo, it became the main roadblock holding our company back from an impending IPO. The legal process was slow, and my case was still in the early stage. We agreed to keep moving forward with the IPO plans including hiring an IPO consultant.

Given the timing of an IPO, you began suggesting that I should not try for full exoneration with a trial, since that could take a year or more and disrupt the timing and IPO process. One approach involved getting the case to a misdemeanor plea so that we could resolve the case and focus on the IPO. You communicated this to me during several board meetings, emails, as well as conversations with my counsel.

By April, after the first settlement conference and preliminary hearing, my legal team was able to get a misdemeanor plea that was satisfactory to both the RadiumOne board and the bankers. You were well aware that if I had gone to trial I would have gotten full exoneration. Instead, I sacrificed full exoneration for the sake of the Company's IPO, and - more importantly -- for you and for our shareholders.

On our board meeting of Tuesday, April 22nd, with only a week to go before the IPO bake-off, I told all of you that my personal matter had been resolved. Everyone was very happy with the outcome, as evidenced by various congratulatory gestures.

The next day, I was practically lynched on social media when the local press began covering the news. Everyone seemed fixated on the initial allegations made by the DA, which were false. The decision to accept the misdemeanor plea to end this case, instead of going to trial, was proving ineffective. This was the first wave of the social media lynching.

Robin Murray told me to stay calm, to ignore the press, and to focus on the bake-off and the IPO. However, On Friday morning, with the story going viral, Robin and David Silverman made a house call to see if I would consider resigning. They said they "couldn't handle all the bad press." This came shortly after full support -- both in written remarks in emails and on calls from them less than 48 hours ago.

I declined the request to resign. Later that day, the board called for an emergency board meeting for Saturday evening. At the advice of my counsel and of the company counsel - I wrote to remind you that I had simply taken this plea as a strategic move for the company and for the IPO, as you had instructed me to do so.

It's clear to my counsel and I, that I was wrongfully terminated. When I offered to resign in August, I instead received the board's full support to stay on as the "rainmaker," the key visionary to take the Company forward and eventually public. There is no documentation in the history of the Company to indicate that there was any dissatisfaction with my performance as the Chairman & CEO. It was praise - in every board meeting - for my performance.

I know you have your individual careers in mind, but I am shocked and saddened at how you responded to social media. I was going through hell, both professionally and personally (my father had just had another heart-attack brought on largely by this incident). I thought I could count on your support as a board, as executives, and as a team and you abandoned me when I most needed your support. And what did I do to deserve this, when all I've ever done is to put the interests of you and the Company ahead of my own?

You are the team that I relied on and that helped me build the company to where it is today. I never took a salary at RadiumOne. I put my heart, soul, and millions of dollars of my own money into launching the Company. I always thought it would be better to create jobs rather than to pay myself a CEO salary. In exchange, you offered me an option grant. Now, as part of my abrupt departure, not only are you withholding that, but now you're also trying to figure out other ways dilute my holdings at RadiumOne further.

I sincerely hope you wake up from this greed, betrayal, and dishonesty.

You have left me with no other options but to seek legal recourse. And, now will have to face severe legal consequences individually for this in the court of law.

All supporting documents relating to the facts of this letter have been sent to the press and my legal counsel. To top of page

First Published: May 29, 2014: 5:16 PM ET


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Ousted RadiumOne CEO: 'What did I do to deserve this?'

gurbaksh chahal radiumone ceo

Ousted RadiumOne CEO Gurbaksh Chahal plans to sue his board, claiming wrongful termination.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The ad-startup executive was accused of hitting his girlfriend 117 times in a span of less than a half hour last August. The former CEO maintains that the allegations were false and his board encouraged him to plead to a misdemeanor rather than fight a lengthy trial to exonerate him.

"What did I do to deserve this, when all I've ever done is to put the interests of you and the company ahead of my own?" Chahal wrote in the letter first sent to CNNMoney. "I thought I could count on your support as a board, as executives, and as a team and you abandoned me when I most needed your support."

Chahal claims that the board was "well aware" of his legal trouble since August, and they knew the allegations "were completely false." He says he was "going through hell, both professionally and personally" and felt betrayed after the board bowed to the social media storm that ensued once the allegations became widely circulated.

Read Gurbaksh Chahal's open letter to the board

"I know you have your individual careers in mind, but I am shocked and saddened at how you responded to social media," he wrote. "You supported me, in person and in writing, and you made it clear that you had every intention of standing by me until justice prevailed."

Chahal also noted that he offered to resign in August 2013 but the board encouraged him to stay on.

As a result, Chahal said he plans to sue the company's board for wrongful termination, according to a letter obtained by CNNMoney.

Related: Board backed RadiumOne CEO days before firing him

Chahal has obtained a laywer and says the suit is "imminent."

"You have left me with no other options but to seek legal recourse," he writes. "You will now have to face severe legal consequences individually for this in the court of law."

In a statement to CNNMoney, the company said the complaint had no merit. "Gurbaksh Chahal's own actions impaired his ability to lead RadiumOne as CEO and gave the board no choice but to terminate his employment and name a new CEO," they said. To top of page

First Published: May 29, 2014: 5:19 PM ET


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Why Snowden waited a whole year for his TV close-up

Written By limadu on Kamis, 29 Mei 2014 | 12.09

edward snowden sxsw

Edward Snowden appeared by videoconference at SXSW, but an interview with NBC is his first television sit-down.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

How long, they wondered, might he wait to have his first sit-down television interview, to speak out about why he did what he did? One month? Two?

Snowden actually waited one whole year, for reasons that have a lot to do with how the news media works.

Ben Wizner, the ACLU attorney who has been Snowden's legal adviser and liaison with the press, called the wait part of a "very very deliberate strategy all along" to make mass surveillance the story, not the man.

"Waiting a year meant that there was so much to ask him about other than himself," Wizner said.

Snowden ultimately decided to speak with "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams. "The interview with Williams was conducted in Moscow last week after months of preparation and is Snowden's first with a U.S. television network," NBC says.

The network will broadcast the highlights of the hours-long interview at 10 p.m. Wednesday. The interview comes just one week shy of the one-year anniversary of the first Guardian and Washington Post stories based on Snowden's leaks.

"What's going to be most interesting is to see if it moves the conversation or changes any minds," Williams told The New York Times.

Snowden, of course, has found many other ways to speak in the past year without giving a much-ballyhooed television interview. He spent hours with Bart Gellman of the Washington Post last December. He appeared via telepresence robot at a TED Conference and via videoconference at SXSW.

But "he had not sat down for the interview that would put him into ten million living rooms," as Wizner put it in a telephone interview.

Wizner said the long wait "made it much more likely that it would be a substantive conversation — because there was a year's worth of history that was made."

"I know there are still people calling him a fame-seeking narcissist," Wizner said. "The opposite is the case." While Snowden was and is willing to answer questions about himself and his motivations, Wizner said, he wanted the focus to be on the NSA's practices.

Wizner said Snowden's decision to speak with Williams first stemmed in large part from Glenn Greenwald's dealings with NBC. The Post's Erik Wemple noted that Greenwald briefly "worked as a freelancer for NBC News" and that NBC anchors have repeatedly interviewed Greenwald about his new book "No Place to Hide."

Will there be a second American television interview for Snowden? "I don't know," Wizner said. "I think we're going to let the dust settle first."

Also making media news today...

Amazon has finally commented on its fight with Hachette. And Hachette responded...

Chelsea Handler is the only woman with a daily late-night show. And in August, her show is ending. Where will she appear next? To top of page

First Published: May 28, 2014: 7:39 PM ET


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Apple buying Beats for $3 billion

dr dre beats

Dr. Dre, who co-founded Beats, will join Apple.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) will pay $2.6 billion up front, plus another $400 million over time. Apple's getting stylish hardware from Beats Electronics and a streaming service with Beats Music.

The deal is chump change for Apple, which is sitting on a giant mountain of cash: $159 billion as of last year.

Related story: Why I broke up with Apple

Still, many think Apple is wasting its time with Beats. The music streaming service has an estimated 500,000 customers, puny compared to Spotify's 4 million subscribers. Pandora (P), which is valued by investors at $5.2 billion, has more than 250 million active accounts. Apple could buy 30 Pandoras right now.

But on Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook made his case. In a statement, he said the deal brings together "extraordinary teams so we can continue to create the most innovative music products and services in the world."

Apple expects the deal to close in late summer or early fall.

The winners of the deal are Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, both successful music producers who launched the company back in 2006 and quickly grew it via celebrity endorsements.

For his part, Dre is already calling himself "the first billionaire in hip hop." His stake in Beats, estimated at 20% to 25%, is expected to push his net worth of $550 million close to that number. But it's too early to tell if Dre is a billionaire just yet.
Meanwhile, Iovine described the deal as a match made in heaven. He said the whole Beats concept was inspired by Apple's perfect blend of culture and technology.

"I've always known in my heart that Beats belonged with Apple," Iovine said in a statement.

Dre and Iovine are also joining Apple, so Iovine is stepping down from his perch as CEO of the record company Interscope Geffen A&M. To top of page

First Published: May 28, 2014: 5:32 PM ET


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Qatar, UAE about to get major upgrade

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But these two Persian Gulf countries are starting to make a name for themselves for their economies and stock markets.

Both countries will soon be upgraded to "emerging market" status, a step up from their classification as "frontier markets," a demarcation that's not too far off from the Wild West of the investing world.

The change in status by the MSCI will put Qatar and the UAE in the same league as countries like China and Brazil. It will also likely increase the flow of American investment dollars into these Gulf states.

Related: World Cup: Meet soccer's 10 biggest stars

Why does it matter?

When an organization like the MSCI shifts a country between the frontier and emerging categories, it's like a real estate agent tagging a neighborhood as hip or up-and-coming.

"There's this anticipation that more people will be interested in these stocks," said MorningStar senior fund analyst Patricia Oey of the change.

The MSCI unveiled the upgrades for Qatar and the UAE a year ago, but the official switch is expected to take place in June.

Investors who put money into funds that track the popular MSCI Emerging Markets Index are likely to own more stocks from these Gulf states soon.

Related: Investors dip a toe back into emerging markets

The Gulf state growth story

Between 2008 and 2012, Qatar saw its GDP grow an astounding 86%, according to the World Bank, rocketing past other frontier nations like Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. The UAE's economy has grown more modestly over the same period, although still twice as quickly as the U.S.

Additionally, the index move announcement last year is part of the reason both nations' stock markets have had such impressive gains. The Qatar Exchange Index is up 44% over the last year, and the UAE's Dubai Financial Market General Index has more than doubled.

Compare that to the S&P 500, a popular American stock market index. It's up 15% in the last 12 months.

Bigger fish, smaller pond

The trick for Qatar and the UAE will be to keep the excitement -- and growth -- up to draw investors when they stop being the big fish of the frontier markets pond. Now these two Gulf states will be in the "big leagues".

Investors looking for emerging markets exposure tend to focus on economies like China. In a research note, Oey noted that companies in Qatar and the UAE might only get 1% of the popular emerging market index's weight allocation.

That said, 1% of a larger pie could still leave the Gulf states better off. Around $1.4 trillion is invested in the funds that mimic the MSCI's Emerging Markets Index. That dwarfs the funds tied to the MSCI Frontier Markets Index by a factor of 100.

A word of caution

Keep in mind, however, that the impressive gains in many emerging markets are due in part to risk-chasing "hot money" driven by foreign investors seeking higher yields on their investments. What goes up can quickly go down -- dramatically.

When former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke unexpectedly announced last May that the Fed would soon begin winding down its bond-buying program, Brazil's stock market fell nearly 20% over the next two months.

Another risk is that the fortunes of both countries are closely intertwined with energy prices, specifically oil. Energy and financial firms are big players in both economies.

Tarun Khanna, a Harvard professor who co-authored Winning in Emerging Markets: A Road Map for Strategy and Execution, said that the hope for Qatar, the UAE and other emerging markets countries is that the hot money subsides over time as investors get more comfortable with their underlying economies.

"In the longer run, I would say the real fundamentals on the ground are the primary drivers," he said. To top of page

First Published: May 29, 2014: 12:59 AM ET


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Correcting your credit report gets easier

Written By limadu on Rabu, 28 Mei 2014 | 12.09

(Money Magazine)

Pushed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, major credit reporting companies Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion have changed their complaint systems to let people dispute reports' mistakes in greater detail.

Related: Best apps for taming your bills

Previously, any gripes and supporting paperwork you sent the Big Three were assigned a code reducing your argument to one of a handful of assertions, such as "Not his/hers."

It was this code that was relayed to the credit card issuer or other creditor supplying the information under dispute.

Now when you provide documents, the agencies have to forward that material to the creditor, letting you state your full case.

The creditor then has to fix any errors with all three agencies, which received about 8 million complaints about errors in 2011.

The earlier system "was a brick wall," says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of comparison site LowCards.com. "This gives you some additional clout." To top of page

First Published: May 27, 2014: 4:37 PM ET


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Rent gets cheaper at One World Trade Center

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The owners of the tower cut the rent from $75 to $69 per square foot on floors below the 64th in an attempt to attract more tenants. About 45% of the office space has yet to be leased.

The rate was too high even for such an iconic building, said Jordan Barowitz, a spokesman for Durst Organization, which oversees the construction and leasing of One World Trade Center, and also owns a minority stake. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey owns the rest of the building.

Other office spaces in downtown Manhattan rent for closer to $50 per square foot, Barowitz said.

Related: Home prices remain on the rise

It's been three years years since Durst signed its first tenant, Condé Nast.

The media company is expected to occupy floors 20 through 44 before the end of 2014. But as of now, only two other companies have signed leases. The China Center, a liaison for U.S. and Chinese businesses, will occupy six floors (64-69). The local offices for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are planning to move in to floors 50 through 55 in late 2015.

"The next few tenants in that property are going to get a great deal on 21st century office space," said Dan Fasulo, managing director for Real Capital Analytics, a commercial real estate research firm.

One World Trade Center is just one of several buildings in the complex rebuilt after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At 1,776 feet, it's the tallest building in the U.S.

There are 13 floors available at the new rate. Each offers between 3,500 and 4,500 square feet of office space. Floors above the 64th are more expensive. Durst asks for up to $100 per square foot for those spaces, Barowitz said. To top of page

First Published: May 27, 2014: 3:34 PM ET


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Michigan raises minimum wage to $9.25

minimum-wage-2014-btn

What is the minimum wage in your state? Click the map to find out.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The state's hourly minimum wage will increase in phases from $7.40 until it reaches $9.25 in 2018.

The legislature passed the bill Tuesday and Republican Gov. Rick Snyder said he expected to sign it Tuesday night. The law will also tie the minimum wage to inflation, so that it will continue to gradually increase after 2018.

Related: States act while Congress stalls on minimum wage

The governor called the raise responsible and said it "will help hard-working residents without hindering the state's improving economy."

While setting minimum wage at $9.25 brings it well above the federal rate of $7.25 per hour, Michigan lawmakers did not go as far as those in some other states.

Vermont's legislature approved a bill earlier this month that raises the minimum wage to $10.50 by 2018, while Maryland lawmakers raised it to $10.10 by the same year. Lawmakers in Minnesota, Delaware, West Virginia, Connecticut and Hawaii have also approved minimum wage raises this year.

A minimum wage hike to $10.10 at the federal level is supported by Democrats and President Obama, but is stalled in Congress. Opponents argue that raising the minimum wage forces businesses to cut workers' hours and jobs.

In Michigan, the wage hike received bipartisan support in the legislature. Two years ago, thousands of demonstrators camped outside the state house protesting a controversial change the bargaining rights of public workers. To top of page

First Published: May 27, 2014: 7:59 PM ET


12.09 | 0 komentar | Read More

Production halt for India's iconic Ambassador

Written By limadu on Selasa, 27 Mei 2014 | 12.08

india ambassador

An Ambassador taxi on the streets during monsoon rain in Kolkata.

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

Once the vehicle of choice for Indian politicians and bureaucrats, the Ambassador's design was borrowed from Britain's Morris Oxford. The car's look hasn't changed much since the 1950's, making it one of the most enduring sights on India's streets.

While the car's popularity has diminished greatly in recent years, the Ambassador is still used today as a taxi in several Indian cities including Kolkata. Last year, the Ambassador was named world's best taxi by the popular BBC show Top Gear.

The suspension of work at Hindustan Motors' Uttarpara production facility, where the Ambassador is built, has thrown the model's future into doubt. Only a few thousand of the cars are sold each year.

The company said in a stock market filing that it was working to fix substantial problems at the factory located near Kolkata.

"The Company has been transparent in sharing updates about the worsening conditions at its Uttarpara Plant which include very low productivity, growing indiscipline, critical shortage of funds, lack of demand for its core product, the Ambassador, and large accumulation of liabilities," the statement said.

Related: Inside Nissan's 'Taxi of Tomorrow'

Rajiv Saxena, a company spokesman, said that the suspension of work at the factory did not mean permanent closure.

"We have suspended operations to set things right for revival," he said.

-- CNN's Ravi Agrawal contributed reporting from New Delhi. To top of page

First Published: May 26, 2014: 2:47 AM ET


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Pfizer ditches pursuit of AstraZeneca

pfizer astrazeneca

Pfizer has dropped its pursuit of AstraZeneca after repeated takeover attempts.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

The American drug maker announced Monday that it was withdrawing its latest in a series of unsolicited offers.

That bid valued AstraZeneca (AZN) at nearly $120 billion, a 45% premium over the company's share price in mid-April. If the deal had been accepted, it would have been one of the biggest drug takeovers in history.

But AstraZeneca's board repeatedly said that Pfizer's (PFE, Fortune 500) offers were not sufficient -- it rejected Pfizer's offers four times over the past few weeks.

Pfizer CEO Ian Read said in a written statement, "We continue to believe that our final proposal was compelling and represented full value for AstraZeneca based on the information that was available to us."

On the other hand, AstraZeneca's chairman, Leif Johansson, countered by saying he was confident his firm had solid long-term prospects as a standalone company.

U.K. takeover rules stipulate that companies seeking to make an acquisition must either make a formal offer or leave the target company alone after 28 days of making an initial approach. In this case, Pfizer faced a deadline of 5 p.m. London time. The rules are designed to ensure a company is not constantly besieged and distracted by unsolicited bids.

Related: Pfizer was banking on big tax savings in the U.K.

One factor driving Pfizer to pursue a takeover was related to taxes. Pfizer hoped to move its corporate base from the U.S. to the U.K., allowing it to pay British tax rates and save $1.4 billion annually, according to some analyst estimates.

AstraZeneca's board said last week that it was convinced Pfizer's takeover hopes were driven by potential cost savings and tax minimization.

"From our first meeting in January to our latest discussion yesterday, and in the numerous phone calls in between, Pfizer has failed to make a compelling strategic, business or value case," the board said.

The potential takeover attracted significant political attention, with some urging the British government to move to prevent takeovers by foreign firms in the interest of national security.

AstraZeneca alone accounts for about 2% of British exports. To top of page

First Published: May 26, 2014: 11:03 AM ET


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European stocks rise as elections wrap up

european elections

Alexis Tsipras leads the far-left Syriza party in Greece. His anti-austerity party that has received roughly 27% of the vote.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Germany's DAX index led the way with a 1.3% rise. Spain's IBEX gained 1.2%, while France's CAC 40 added 0.8%. The euro recovered from earlier declines against the dollar.

Investors seemed relieved as results showed traditional left-center and right-center parties will hold a majority of seats in the European Parliament. However, many voters were increasingly supportive of anti-EU protest parties, which gained significant traction in France, the U.K. and Greece.

"The status quo prevails in Europe," explained Kathleen Brooks, a research director at FOREX.com. "Although the chorus of protest is growing louder, it is still a small force in the European Parliament."

Meanwhile, Ukrainians seem to be voting in favor of further integration with Europe. Billionaire Petro Poroshenko has declared himself the winner of the Ukrainian presidential elections after getting over 50% of the vote. The seasoned politician has been vocal about his pro-European Union views.

Related: Europe's own 'tea party' risk

The growing popularity of "euroskeptic" parties on the far right and far left indicate a severe backlash against pan-European cooperation, European institutions and austerity measures. But this doesn't threaten to tear Europe apart.

"After four years of a wrenching euro crisis, pro-European mainstream parties ... will still have close to 70% of the seats in the EU parliament," said Berenberg chief economist, Holger Schmieding. "Although it will be more difficult to negotiate a trade deal with the U.S., European institutions can function well with that result."

In France, the far-right National Front party -- which has rallied against the EU and immigration -- won a historic victory with 25% of the French vote, beating out more moderate pro-EU parties that dominated the elections five years ago. In the previous European elections, the National Front garnered just 6% of the vote.

In the United Kingdom, an increasingly prominent protest party that has loudly voiced its desire to get out of the EU won roughly 28% of the votes.

In Greece, the far-left Syriza party won roughly 27% of the vote.

The success of these anti-EU fringe parties could make for noisier Parliament debates and could complicate the passing of EU laws and appointments to the EU executive.

They also threaten to destabilize pro-EU governments in some countries and weaken the resolve of others to stick to painful economic reforms. For example, in Belgium, the prime minister handed his government's resignation after Flemish separatists scored a big win. But the Belgian benchmark stock index rose 0.5%.

Brooks, the FOREX.com research director, suggests that the rise of the anti-EU parties may actually benefit Europe.

"The increase in the protest vote could be a good thing for the markets, as it could streamline the EU," she said. "The amount of red tape created by the EU can be negative for businesses, and thus markets, so anything that could reduce this influence is a good thing." To top of page

First Published: May 26, 2014: 7:23 AM ET


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Did Piketty get it wrong? Analysis questions author's data

Written By limadu on Senin, 26 Mei 2014 | 12.08

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

On one side is Thomas Piketty, author of the best-selling tome "Capital in the Twenty-First Century." He argues that wealth inequality is growing and "threatens to generate extreme inequalities that stir discontent and undermine democratic values," and published the data behind his conclusions online.

His adversary is Chris Giles, economics editor of the Financial Times.

Giles claimed his analysis of Piketty's spreadsheets contain serious factual inaccuracies that undercut Piketty's conclusions in "Capital."

He gets numbers wrong, inexplicably changes others, employs "seemingly arbitrary adjustments" to formulas, mixes results from different years and commits a series of other data faux pas, Giles wrote in a lengthy post on Friday.

Related: Workers willing to be arrested for $15 minimum wage

"When I have tried to correct for these apparent errors, a rather different picture of wealth inequality appeared," the post reads.

"The combined result of all these problems is to make wealth concentration among the richest in the past 50 years rise artificially," Giles explained. "The conclusions of Capital in the 21st [C]entury do not appear to be backed by the book's own sources."

Piketty fired back in a letter posted by the Financial Times.

"If there was anything to hide, any 'fat finger problem', why would I put everything on line?" he wrote.

Related: Where the middle class thrives

His data comes from 20 different countries and stretches back as far as the 1700s. That means it is imperfect and varies, he explained, requiring "a number of adjustments to the raw data sources" for consistency.

"I have tried in the context of this book to make the most justified choices and arbitrages about data sources and adjustments," Piketty wrote. "I have no doubt that my historical data series can be improved and will be improved in the future."

The book has been described as an unlikely best seller -- a 700 page analysis originally written in French and put in print by an academic publisher.

But the book hit shelves at just the right time: as a dispute over wealth distribution and wages has sparked political debate and protests in the U.S. and other countries. To top of page

First Published: May 25, 2014: 1:06 PM ET


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Tech stocks are back. Forget that Spring sell-off

nasdaq lookahead

The Nasdaq has rebounded in May and is currently up 1.7%. Click the chart for more stock info.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The truncated week will also mark the end of a dramatic month for stocks.

Nasdaq rallies in May

Investors traditionally unload shares before they head off for summer vacation, but sticking it out through May looks like a wise move this year. The Nasdaq is up 1.7% so far this month, shaking off its losses from March and April when there was broad sell-off of so-called "momentum stocks."

Related: Get ready for the summer bummer in the stock market

The Dow and S&P 500 are also on track to end the month higher. On Friday, the S&P 500 closed above 1,900 for the first time ever.

Earnings season is over

Earnings season is nearly over, with 98% of S&P 500 companies having reported quarterly earnings, according to FactSet. To date, 74% of those companies have beaten expectations, but that's partly because the predictions were so low after the harsh winter. Profits are only up 2.1% over the same time last year.

Some of the last firms to report include purse and watchmaker Michael Kors (KORS), due out on Wednesday. Analysts are expecting sales to grow by more than half, but the company wouldn't be the first high-end retailer this quarter to do well.

Related: The 1% drive big gains for luxury brands.

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) will report on Thursday, but it is expected to show a decline. Those watching the company think sales are going to fall and profits will turn to losses for the teen retailer.

Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF), the studio behind the popular Divergent film franchise, also reveals performance on Thursday. It is expected to be flat from last quarter, though far better than the same time last year.

Economic data: Consumer confidence

Friday isn't quite the end of June, so investors have to wait another week for much anticipated American jobs report, but there are plenty of other big economic releases to dig through as they plan their summer vacations.

Consumer confidence stats drop Tuesday, along with data on home prices. Both are expected to remain relatively flat from the previous month. Initial jobless claims come out on Thursday, and economists predict they will dip lower, which would be a good sign for those hoping for a stronger labor market.

All three economic measures will be picked over by investors seeking clarity on the strength of the recovery.

Related: 3 reasons interest rates will stay low for years

Geopolitical tensions

There's still plenty of geopolitical risk to potentially spook the markets, including deadly violence in the lead up to Ukraine's elections on Sunday. Unrest also continues in Thailand, with the military shutting down international television networks and banning some politicians from leaving the country following a coup d'etat.

So far, these events have not had a major impact on world markets. To top of page

First Published: May 25, 2014: 9:44 AM ET


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How celebrity hacker 'Sabu' helped feds thwart 300 cyber-attacks

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

That's according to new U.S. government documents that for the first time provide extensive detail about what they call the "extremely valuable and productive" undercover cooperation of Hector Monsegur.

Monsegur used the Sabu moniker online, where he was a member of the hacking collectives Anonymous and LulzSec.

He pleaded guilty to charges including identity theft and credit card fraud and is set to be sentenced on Tuesday.

He would face up to 26 years in prison for the $2.5 million in losses connected to his hacks, but the government is seeking leniency -- perhaps no additional prison time beyond seven months he already served.

Prosecutors said his work on behalf of the FBI helped thwart attacks on websites belonging to the U.S. military, NASA and media companies, among others. The FBI relocated him and his family because he received threats for his cooperation, the court documents say.

Related: How the FBI made a global hacker bust

Monsegur was part of a group of hackers that became notorious in 2011 for breaking into or disabling U.S. government and corporate websites. The Anonymous-affiliated groups LulzSec and Internet Feds targeted sites including PBS, Fox Television, Nintendo and Sony Pictures. Their public boasts on Twitter and elsewhere on the Internet drew them instant celebrity as so-called hacktivists, because they often claimed to make a political point in their activities.

The documents show that in June 2011, FBI agents visited Monsegur's apartment in a public housing project in Manhattan's lower east side. They confronted him about his activities and he immediately agreed to become an informant.

He agreed to a guilty plea, returned to his apartment and was back online in hours -- this time, working for the FBI.

His assistance helped the FBI investigate and net LulzSec and Internet Feds members, including the FBI's most-wanted cybercriminal, Jeremy Hammond, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence, prosecutors said in court documents.

Related:6 most dangerous cyberattacks

"Working sometimes literally around the clock, at the direction of law enforcement, Monsegur engaged his co-conspirators in online chats that were critical to confirming their identities and whereabouts," prosecutors said. "During some of the online chats, at the direction of law enforcement, Monsegur convinced LulzSec members to provide him digital evidence of the hacking activities they claimed to have previously engaged in, such as logs regarding particular criminal hacks."

His quick cooperation was key, according to the documents, because LulzSec had established a protocol to destroy computer evidence if any of their members went missing or was arrested.

"Monsegur admitted to engaging in hacking activities about which the government had not previously developed evidence," prosecutors said. He hacked thousands of computers, at first in a bid to build a legitimate computer security company and then to steal and pay his bills, prosecutors said.

Monsegur's cooperation with the FBI became public when he was arrested in 2012 for making unauthorized online postings, violating his cooperation agreement.

Upon the news, Anonymous members hacked a computer-security website and posted an open letter to Sabu. It read: "Sabu snitched on us. As usually happens FBI menaced him to take his sons away. We understand, but we were your family too (remember what you liked to say?) It's sad and we can't imagine how it feels having to look at the mirror each morning and see there the guy who shopped their friends to [the] police." To top of page

First Published: May 25, 2014: 3:12 PM ET


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I sold my startup to Cisco. Here's why

Written By limadu on Minggu, 25 Mei 2014 | 12.08

dov yoran

Dov Yoran, CEO and co-founder of ThreatGRID, talks about why he sold his company to Cisco Systems.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Yoran had grown accustomed to refusing countless tech companies and investors who wanted a piece of his firm's sophisticated threat intelligence platform.

"We've been saying no to people for years. We didn't build a company just to flip it and move on," said Yoran, who co-founded ThreatGRID with Dean De Beer. "We really wanted to experience the whole thing from a startup and having guys sleep on couches and bootstrapping it."

And then Cisco Systems (CSCO, Fortune 500) entered the picture.

Cisco began informal conversations with New York-based ThreatGRID late last year. The talks quickly accelerated this winter and culminated this week with Cisco announcing a deal to acquire ThreatGRID and pair it with its rapidly expanding security platform.

Related: Internet Explorer bug lets hackers control your PC

"They made an incredibly compelling offer -- for not only today but what the vision looks like going forward," said Yoran, who is CEO of ThreatGRID.

Neither Cisco nor ThreatGRID would disclose the value of the deal due to confidentiality agreements.

But Yoran said "it was a fantastic exit for investors, shareholders and employees."

Yoran, who is 38 years old and lives in New York's SoHo neighborhood, said he doesn't plan any major lifestyle changes despite the looming financial windfall.

"It really wasn't about the money. It was about the drive and excitement of what we were building. The money came afterwards, which is pretty cool," said Yoran, who was a pre-med major at Tufts University before changing direction and earning a bachelor's in chemistry. He received his master's at George Washington University.

So why did Yoran decide to sell to Cisco after saying no to many others?

The clincher was the ability of Cisco to help ThreatGRID expand by incorporating the platform with its other products. Cisco plans to marry ThreatGRID with SourceFire, the cyber security company it acquired last year for $2.7 billion. SourceFire and ThreatGRID should be comfortable with each other since they had a previous partnership.

It also helps that the sale won't rock the boat for ThreatGRID's 25 employees, who will be allowed to continue doing what they do now, including working from home.

ThreatGRID crowdsources massive volumes of malware to provide threat intelligence to its clients, which include security subsidiaries of General Dynamics (GD, Fortune 500) and EMC (EMC, Fortune 500).

"We analyze data that are captured by endpoint and network vendors and we make it readable in a way their products can digest and take action," said Yoran.

Related: U.S. wants companies to share security data

Cyber security firms continue to be objects of desire for big tech companies due to the rising threat level.

Consider that the ThreatGRID deal was unveiled during a week headlined by a major hacker crackdown by the FBI, the U.S. accusing Chinese hackers of cyber espionage, eBay (EBAY, Fortune 500) disclosing a cyber attack and Target (TGT, Fortune 500) detailing its struggles to recover from last year's epic breach.

"For cyber attackers, and those who defend against them, the stakes could not be higher than they are right now," said Hilton Romanski, head of business development at Cisco, in a blog post announcing the ThreatGRID acquisition.

ThreatGRID is the first company Yoran co-founded that wound up being acquired, but it's hardly his first rodeo in the merger and acquisitions world.

Over the past two decades, Yoran worked at and invested in companies acquired by Intel's (INTC, Fortune 500) McAfee and Symantec (SYMC, Fortune 500), including a firm co-founded by his two brothers.

He said that experience helped guide him through Cisco's rigorous acquisition process and contemplate other potential options -- such as another round of funding or even an initial public offering.

And he made sure to remember this important lesson.

"You're not selling the company. Someone is buying the company," he said. To top of page

First Published: May 24, 2014: 10:58 AM ET


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Federal workers owe IRS the $3.3 billion

us treasury

When it comes to unpaid taxes, Treasury Department employees have the lowest tax delinquency rate among all federal departments.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The IRS released data this week showing that roughly 3.3% of federal employees and retirees owed $3.3 billion in unpaid taxes as of Sept. 30.

That means they either couldn't pay the full amount owed when they filed a return, or they got snagged by an IRS audit and were told they owed more than they already paid.

The data, released after USA Today requested it under the Freedom of Information Act, broke down delinquency rates by departments and independent agencies.

At the low end of the scale was the Treasury Department, which had a 1.2% non-compliance rate.

A big part of Treasury is the IRS itself, which had a delinquency rate of 0.9%, according to an agency spokesman.

The rate among the population at large is at least 8.7%, the IRS estimates.

A few weeks ago the IRS found itself in hot water with Congress for having paid $1 million in bonuses to 1,100 IRS employees who were late in paying their taxes or had willfully understated their tax liability or income.

But it turns out the delinquency rate among Congressional staffers is higher -- 4.87% in the House and 3.24% in the Senate -- than those of IRS workers.

The government departments with the highest non-compliance rates were the Department of Housing and Urban Development (5.29%), the Department of Veterans Affairs (4.38%) and the Army (4.28%).

Among large independent federal agencies, which have at least 1,000 employees, the biggest offender was the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (8.05%), followed by the Government Printing Office (7.99%), the Smithsonian Institution (6.7%) and the Federal Reserve's board of governors (6.51%).

On the low end of the scale was the National Credit Union Administration (1.75%), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1.97%) and the Executive Office of the President (2.05%). To top of page

First Published: May 23, 2014: 3:56 PM ET


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GM faulty ignition crashes now 47

gm ignition switch

This is the 57-cent part at the center of GM's recall crisis.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

GM (GM, Fortune 500) has raised the number of frontal-impact crashes linked to the problem ignitions to 47 from 32, according to company spokesman Greg Martin.

Because of the flawed ignition, key rings holding more than one key could cause the ignition to suddenly switch to the off position. That can lead to a loss of power -- locking the steering wheel and interrupting airbags from deploying in an accident.

GM says the number of deaths tied to front impact crashes stemming from this defect remains at 13.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration chided the automaker for the way it handled the recall and said that the number of deaths tied to the problem was likely higher.

"GM knew about the safety defect, but did not act to protect Americans from that defect until this year. The families and friends of those lost in the crashes have the deepest sympathies of everyone at NHTSA. They deserve straight answers about what happened to their loved ones," NHTSA said in a statement.

"The final death toll associated with this safety defect is not known to NHTSA, but we believe it's likely that more than 13 lives were lost," NHTSA said.

GM spokesman Jim Cain said the automaker was aware of the NHTSA statement and that "if necessary we will adjust the number."

Related: Steps to a recall nightmare

GM has come under fire for the way it handled the flawed ignition switch.

Company employees knew about the defect for more than a decade before a recall was initiated in February 2014. So far, the automaker has recalled 2.6 million cars worldwide due to the ignition switch.

CEO Mary Barra has revamped how GM handles safety issues. A new unit charged with quickly uncovering safety defects has begun to aggressively issue recall notices for problems beyond the ignition switch.

The company has initiated 30 separate recalls covering 13.8 million U.S. cars and trucks, and 15.8 million vehicles worldwide, in 2014. That's more cars and trucks than GM sold in the five years since emerging from bankruptcy protection in 2009.

So far GM has agreed to pay the maximum fine of $35 million to NHTSA for the delay in the ignition recall. And it will be subject to closer oversight by the regulator.

The Justice Department is also considering whether to bring criminal charges against the automaker. A similar probe over Toyota's 2009 and 2010 unintended acceleration recalls led to a $1.2 billion fine earlier this year.

The company estimates it will cost $1.7 billion to repair the cars recalled so far in 2014. That expense essentially erased the profit the company would have reported in the first quarter.

GM shares are down 18% this year, lagging behind rivals Toyota (TM) and Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500).

-CNNMoney's Chris Isidore, CNN's Chris Kokenes and Rene Marsh contributed to this report. To top of page

First Published: May 24, 2014: 1:05 PM ET


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Seinfeld's 'Comedians in Cars' adding 24 new episodes

Written By limadu on Sabtu, 24 Mei 2014 | 12.08

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Seinfeld's 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee' premiers June 19 and now has a sponsor for the next four seasons. Click the image for a gallery of some of the cars, and stars, that have appeared on the show so far.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

This will be season four for the web series, which is now set to continue for another five seasons.

Crackle.com, a unit of Sony (SNE) Pictures TV, says luxury automaker Acura has extended its exclusive deal to sponsor 24 new episodes of the car & comedy mashup.

"Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" is an online series appearing on Crackle.com that revolves around Seinfeld driving fellow comedians around in rare and expensive cars - then going for coffee. David Letterman, Don Rickles, Seth Meyers, and Chris Rock have all appeared with Seinfeld.

Related: The 'world's craziest, beautiful cars'

This season the show will feature Aziz Ansari, Robert Klein, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jon Stewart, and George Wallace.

The series has been an underground success. Crackle.com's website says that since its debut in 2012, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" has delivered more than 40 million streams.

Series sponsor Acura is owned by Japan's Honda Motor (HMC). To top of page

First Published: May 23, 2014: 2:51 PM ET


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Just 2% of GM cars have ignition switch fix

gm ignition recall repair

A mechanic at a GM dealership in Michigan replaces an ignition switch on a recalled car.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

GM (GM, Fortune 500) began repairing the 2.6 million recalled vehicles six weeks ago. The automaker says that dealers have made such a small number of repairs in that time because it's having difficulty getting enough of the replacement parts it needs from Delphi Automotive (DLPH).

Delphi was the sole supplier of the part when the recalled cars were in production, and is the only manufacturer readily equipped to ramp production back up. It's already added extra shifts at the Mexican factory where the ignition switches are being made, and Delphi announced last week that it is adding an extra production line.

"With the second line coming online, we expect a much greater availability of parts," said GM spokesman Greg Martin. "By mid-July we expect supplies of parts to meet demand."

Related: GM recall's $1.7 billion windfall

GM says that Delphi will have made all of the parts required to repair all of the cars recalled for faulty ignition switches by October.

People who own cars that get recalled typically don't rush to bring cars in for repairs -- even in high profile cases like this one. And roughly a third of recalled cars are never brought in for repairs.

GM says its records show that 80% of its recalled cars and trucks are repaired within a year, and 85% are repaired within two years. The automaker says that's the highest repair rate in the industry, and that it's committed to repairing every car with the faulty ignition switch.

Related: GM cars sold - 12.1 million. Recalled - 13.8 million

The ignition switch is at risk of turning off the car while it is being driven if the key is jostled. The loss of power can disable the airbag, the power steering and anti-lock brakes.

GM insists that tests it has conducted show the cars are safe to drive, as long as drivers don't have other keys or key fobs on their key ring. And it says that any car owner who doesn't feel comfortable driving their car can get a free loaner from a GM dealership. About 35,000 loaners are now out in the field.

So far this year GM has recalled 13.8 million U.S. cars and trucks, more than the nation's largest automaker has ever recalled in a single year. To top of page

First Published: May 23, 2014: 2:50 PM ET


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Federal workers owe IRS the $3.3 billion

us treasury

When it comes to unpaid taxes, Treasury Department employees have the lowest tax delinquency rate among all federal departments.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The IRS released data this week showing that roughly 3.3% of federal employees and retirees owed $3.3 billion in unpaid taxes as of Sept. 30.

That means they either couldn't pay the full amount owed when they filed a return, or they got snagged by an IRS audit and were told they owed more than they already paid.

The data, released after USA Today requested it under the Freedom of Information Act, broke down delinquency rates by departments and independent agencies.

At the low end of the scale was the Treasury Department, which had a 1.2% non-compliance rate.

A big part of Treasury is the IRS itself, which had a delinquency rate of 0.9%, according to an agency spokesman.

The rate among the population at large is at least 8.7%, the IRS estimates.

A few weeks ago the IRS found itself in hot water with Congress for having paid $1 million in bonuses to 1,100 IRS employees who were late in paying their taxes or had willfully understated their tax liability or income.

But it turns out the delinquency rate among Congressional staffers is higher -- 4.87% in the House and 3.24% in the Senate -- than those of IRS workers.

The government departments with the highest non-compliance rates were the Department of Housing and Urban Development (5.29%), the Department of Veterans Affairs (4.38%) and the Army (4.28%).

Among large independent federal agencies, which have at least 1,000 employees, the biggest offender was the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (8.05%), followed by the Government Printing Office (7.99%), the Smithsonian Institution (6.7%) and the Federal Reserve's board of governors (6.51%).

On the low end of the scale was the National Credit Union Administration (1.75%), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1.97%) and the Executive Office of the President (2.05%). To top of page

First Published: May 23, 2014: 3:56 PM ET


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Army of robots to invade Amazon warehouses

Written By limadu on Jumat, 23 Mei 2014 | 12.09

amazon kiva systems

These robots scoot around warehouse floors picking up items to fulfill customers' orders.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

CEO Jeff Bezos told investors at a shareholder meeting Wednesday that he expects to significantly increase the number of robots used to fulfill customer orders.

There are currently about 1,000 robot workers on Amazon floors. The increase won't change the number of actual people employed, an Amazon spokeswoman said.

Related: Robots will replace fast-food workers

The robots are made by Kiva Systems, a company Amazon bought for $775 million two years ago.

They are tied into a complex grid that requires months of planning and testing. But once the system is in place, it can save time and cut down on fulfillment costs.

While robots are playing a growing role in fulfilling orders in the warehouse, it could still be years before Amazon sends packages via drones to customers' homes. Bezos plans to have drones deliver packages to your door in 30 minutes, but there are a number of legal and technological hurdles before that can happen.

For now, you'll have to visit the warehouses to see a robot helping to deliver your package. Amazon (AMZN, Fortune 500) started offering public tours this month. To top of page

First Published: May 22, 2014: 6:02 PM ET


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GM recalls may continue, says Barclays

general motors summer

According to a new report GM may continue recalling cars into the summer.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

That's according to a research report from Barclays Capital.

Auto analyst Brian Johnson says he met with senior management at GM (GM, Fortune 500)on Wednesday and listed "continued recall announcements" as a key takeaway from the meeting.

GM declined to comment on the report.

Barclays said that GM hired 30 more investigators to mine data and that it hopes to be done with the recalls by mid-summer.

In the meantime, however, it's tough to say if recalls from past vehicles has already peaked, as the team has not yet completed mining the data," Johnson said. "Given the datamining is being conducted on an issue by issue, and not on a make and model year basis, it is possible that GM may issue further recalls for vehicles which have already been recalled," he added.

Related: GM's recall nightmare

GM has issued more recalls this year than ever before. There have been 29 separate recalls covering 13.8 million U.S. cars and trucks, and 15.8 million vehicles worldwide.

In fact, General Motors has already recalled more cars and trucks in the U.S. this year than it has sold here in the five years since it filed for bankruptcy.

Related: GM to lawmakers: We're working on it

Barclay's Johnson also said that GM management - despite recall headlines - thinks that the pace of sales in the U.S. appears unaffected. To top of page

First Published: May 22, 2014: 6:17 PM ET


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Can Modi make India the new China?

modi india

Narendra Modi will be sworn in as prime minister on Monday.

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

But is he the leader to haul India out of its funk, and put the world's second most populous nation back on track to rival China?

Investors think so. The prospect of a government led by Modi has boosted Indian stocks by 15% so far this year. The rupee has responded too, gaining 6% against the dollar after a dismal performance in 2013.

An economic turnaround will be more difficult to execute. It will require a level of political skill and collaboration that has eluded top Indian policymakers for years.

India's growth potential was once mentioned in the same breath as that of China. But the world's biggest democracy has failed to deliver and its economy is just a fifth the size of its Asian rival.

Related: We're itching to break into India

Growth has fallen below 5%, and inflation is now running above 8%. Manufacturing has slowed and the country's fiscal deficit has ballooned.

Structural reforms have fallen foul of political gridlock. Analysts say India needs to simplify its tax code, encourage foreign investment and streamline agricultural production. Modi will have to move fast.

"The markets have high hopes for the new government but the economic reality will eventually replace election euphoria," said IHS analyst Hanna Luchnikava.

Related story: Modi win boosts Indian markets

Modi likes to emphasize his management credentials. He campaigned on a record of low unemployment and high foreign investment in Gujarat, the state he has led since 2001.

He has promised to end policy paralysis, reduce inflation and tackle corruption. He also pledged to establish manufacturing hubs and industrial corridors, improve the tax code and reform the banking sector.

The campaign was so successful that voters gave his Bharatiya Janata Party a majority in the lower house of parliament, sparing Modi the hassle of a coalition. Still, the BJP will face opposition from the Congress Party and other rivals in the upper house.

Related story: What India can learn from China

Modi will also be challenged by members of his own party who would like to remove Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan. The former IMF chief economist has helped restore investor confidence by pushing through unpopular interest rate hikes since taking office last September.

Analysts at the Eurasia Group think Modi will try to get some quick wins under his belt by pursuing reforms that can be implemented through executive action.

But in the long term, they're less optimistic about his chances of implementing a more substantial overhaul of the economy.

"Although the BJP's hugely impressive victory means that Modi will be much less dependent on partnerships and alliances than we had envisioned, it does not in and of itself fundamentally change the fractious nature of India's political landscape," the Eurasia Group analysts said. To top of page

First Published: May 22, 2014: 9:29 PM ET


12.09 | 0 komentar | Read More

110 arrested outside McDonald's HQ

Written By limadu on Kamis, 22 Mei 2014 | 12.08

mcdonalds protest arrest

Police said they arrested over 100 protesters.

CHICAGO (CNNMoney)

The group of protesters had marched up the driveway of McDonald's sprawling campus in suburban Chicago. They were met by about 250 law enforcement officers, including state police in riot gear, and were asked to leave. When they refused, the strikers were taken into custody, according to the Oak Brook police department in Illinois.

The protests took place a day before McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500) annual meeting on Thursday, when more protests are planned.

It was the latest chapter in the broader fast food protest movement that began over a year ago, with workers demanding their wage be raised to a minimum of $15 an hour.

"We want to make sure that McDonald's shareholders and CEO Don Thompson hear us and see us and know that these are the workers they are pushing into poverty," said Kendall Fells, a spokesman of the workers organizing group Fast Food Forward.

Related: "My boss doesn't rule my destiny"

Earlier in the day, McDonald's shut down its main headquarters building ahead of the protests. A company spokeswoman said: "The police advised us to close in advance for security and traffic purposes."

That led the crowd of about 1,500 people to march through another entrance in the campus. The protesters included McDonald's and other fast food restaurant workers, clergy and community leaders.

In a statement, McDonald's said: "We respect everyone's rights to peacefully protest. We are focused on welcoming our shareholders to McDonald's annual meeting."

Related: Faces of May 15 fast food strikes

The issue of fast-food industry pay has been in the headlines over the past year.

While the federal minimum wage is still $7.25 an hour, several states and cities have recently enacted laws to increase their wage floor to an average of $10.10 in most places and as much as $15 in Seattle.

Just last week, protesters in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles joined strikes outside of fast-food restaurants demanding their minimum hourly wage be raised to $15 an hour.

Related: McDonald's scary Happy Meal mascot

The average hourly wage of fast-food employees is $9.09, or less than $19,000 per year for a full-time worker.

A recent report from public advocacy group Demos found that CEOs at fast-food companies earn 1,000 times what the average fast-food employee earns, making it one of the biggest pay disparities in the American economy.

-- CNN'sTed Rowlands contributed to this report. To top of page

First Published: May 21, 2014: 1:47 PM ET


12.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Are GM cars safe? Yes, they are

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

You can rest assured that GM cars are about as safe as any others on the road.

Why are there so many GM related recalls lately?

GM has cranked up its recall machine. Having been caught needlessly delaying a recall for years, whether by massive corporate sloppiness or willful foot-dragging, GM (GM, Fortune 500) is now working to make sure that won't happen again. The automaker is going back through past problems with any of its cars and, if safety seems to be in question, recalling them.

If GM is recalling so many vehicles, then its cars must be unsafe, correct?

Recalls aren't a good way to judge safety. While recalls should always be taken seriously, the fact is that not all recall-related issues are equally dangerous.

Some recalls are for things that are unlikely to ever actually happen. Some recalls are because someone could cut their finger or burn their leg on an exhaust pipe. Many recalls are for things that would never cause a crash, period. For instance, some are for "compliance" issues, such as a sticker on the door frame that says the car seats five when it actually only seats four.

Besides, while any death is a tragedy for the families involved, deaths caused by vehicle defects are actually extremely rare. Of the 34,000 traffic deaths that occurred last year, the number that were directly caused by vehicle defects is so small, it's not even a statistic. If it were officially tallied, it would be a fraction of 1%, experts say.

So, what's the best way for me to judge a vehicle's safety?

Crash test results are the best way to judge safety. Research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has shown that crash tests, such as those done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and by IIHS itself, really do predict real-world safety. All else being equal, fatality rates are lower for occupants of vehicles that get good crash test results.

These days, the vast majority of new vehicles get good crash test results. GM is no different. On average, GM vehicles get 4.4 stars in NHTSA's 5-star safety rating system. That's about the same as the industry overall, according to analysts at the automotive Web site Edmunds.com.

Related - GM's recall nightmare

The IIHS, meanwhile, has given its "Top Safety Pick" award to four GM models -- the Chevrolet Malibu, Equinox and Spark and the GMC Terrain. That compares to five models for Ford and four for Toyota. The manufacturer with the most "Top Safety Pick" awards is Honda which has a record eight award-winning models.

Can I look at real-world crash statistics to determine vehicle safety?

Real-world crash statistics can be confusing, Insurance Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. That's because they can be influenced by a number of factors such as the age of the drivers and the way people drive different types of vehicles.

One of the biggest predictors of real-world crash safety is size, according to the Insurance Institute. In a crash between a big heavy SUV and a small car, the bigger vehicle will transfer more of the impact force into the small vehicle. As a matter of physics, alone, the people in the bigger vehicle are more likely to walk away unharmed.

For reasons like these, other than confirming that vehicle size and crash tests can predict safety, real-world fatality statistics aren't terribly helpful, Rader said.

Based on the factors that really matter, the cars and trucks GM sells today are about as safe those built and sold by other manufacturers. If you're concerned about your safety behind the wheel, check the crash test ratings and drive safely. To top of page

First Published: May 21, 2014: 5:20 PM ET


12.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

China's factories show signs of life

china pmi

China's factories have turned in weak performances to start 2014.

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

HSBC said its "flash" measure of sentiment among manufacturing purchasing managers was 49.7 in May. The rebound from the index's final reading of 48.1 in April was sharper than analysts had expected.

While the index showed improvement, any number under 50 still indicates a deceleration in the manufacturing sector.

Still, economists said advances in new orders and output prices were positive developments that suggest factories are now on firmer footing

"Today's PMI reading suggests that downwards pressure on the manufacturing sector has eased markedly," said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics. "While downwards pressure on the economy remains we aren't seeing as rapid a slowdown this quarter as last."

China's economy is off to a sluggish start this year, with first quarter GDP coming in at 7.4% -- a touch slower than Beijing's 7.5% annual target.

Related: Fears grow over China property flameout

The real estate market is showing signs of weakness. Industrial production, retail sales, and investment growth have all disappointed.

The worrying economic data out of China has raised expectations Beijing will respond with stronger stimulus measures in an effort to stabilize growth.

"Downside risks to growth remain, particularly as the property market continues to cool," said HSBC economist Hongbin Qu. "We think more policy easing is needed to put a floor under growth in the coming months."

The Chinese government will release its official PMI measurement for May on June 1. To top of page

First Published: May 21, 2014: 11:26 PM ET


12.08 | 0 komentar | Read More
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