Audio
News
News reports from around the world.
“Make America Safe” The Focus On Day Two Of GOP Convention
Senators Take Center Stage On Day One Of GOP Convention
Senator JD Vance Selected As Trump’s Running Mate
Macy’s terminating buyout talks with Arkhouse and Brigade
( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “remaining 350 stores.”
Macy’s says it will no longer pursue merger talks with Arkhouse and Brigade, citing the lack of certain financing.
[CutID: <Cuts> MACY’S-NO-MERGER-house-q-MONam.mp3
Time: 24s
Title: MACY’S-NO-MERGER-house-q-MONam
Out-cue: remaining 350 stores]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
————————–
VERBATIM: In March, Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management raised their offer to acquire Macy’s in a deal then valued at $6.6 billion, or $24 per share cash. Macy’s now says it will focus on its own turnaround efforts. That includes closing 150 namesake stores over the next three years and upgrading its remaining 350 stores.
China’s economy slowed in the last quarter
( ) -q-19- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “of around five-percent.”
China says its economy expanded at a slower-than-forecast 4.7% annual rate in the last quarter.
[CutID: <Cuts> CHINA-ECONOMY-house-q-MONam.mp3
Time: 19s
Title: CHINA-ECONOMY-house-q-MONam
Out-cue: of around five-percent]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The update Monday on the state of the economy came as leaders of the ruling Communist Party gathered for a once-a-decade conclave to set economic policy that was expected to focus on self-sufficient strategies for growth in an era of tensions over trade and technology.
—————————-
VERBATIM: The rate was sharply below the 5.3% annual pace of growth seen in the first quarter of the year. Economists say weak consumer demand and reduced government spending are dragging on growth. China’s economy grew at a 5% pace in the first half of the year, at the government’s target of around 5%.
Analyst Ben Domenech: Biden Turned In “Middling” Performance at Presser
Wholesale inflation picked up in June amid ongoing price pressures
( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “continued to ease.”
Wholesale prices in the United States rose by a larger-than-expected 2.6% last month from a year earlier.
[CutID: <Cuts> WHOLESALE-PRICES-house-q-FRIam.mp3
Time: 24s
Title: WHOLESALE-PRICES-house-q-FRIam
Out-cue: continued to ease]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Excluding food and energy prices, which tend to bounce around from month to month, so-called core wholesale prices were up 0.4% from May and 3% from June 2023.
———————–
VERBATIM: The government’s producer price index — which tracks inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 0.2% from May to June after being unchanged the month before. It’s a sign that some inflation pressures remain elevated. The increase, the sharpest year-over-year increase since March 2023, comes at a time when other price indicators are showing that inflation has continued to ease.
China’s exports grow 8.6% in June, beating forecasts
( ) -q-28- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “billion in May.”
China’s exports beat forecasts in June, while imports grew less than expected.
[CutID: <Cuts> CHINA-EXPORTS-house-q-FRIam.mp3
Time: 28s
Title: CHINA-EXPORTS-house-q-FRIam
Out-cue: billion in May]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The growth in exports comes as China faces escalated trade tensions with the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. and Europe have ramped up tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars.
—————————
VERBATIM: Chinese customs data showed exports grew 8.6% from the same time last year to hit $307.8 billion. That beat estimates of about 7.4% to 8% growth. Imports, however, fell 2.3% from a year earlier to $208.8 billion. China’s strong exports for June led to its trade surplus widening to $99 billion, up from $82.6 billion in May.
Dollar General to pay $12 million fine in alleged safety violations settlement
The U.S. Department of Labor says Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve conditions at its thousands of retail stores nationwide to make them safer for workers. The discount retailer and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reached the settlement to resolve alleged violations that included unsafe storage, blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers, as well as inaccessible electrical panels. The deal requires Dollar General to significantly reduce inventory and improve stocking to prevent such hazards. The company also must hire more safety managers.
Listen DownloadJPMorgan Q2 profit jumps as bank cashes in Visa shares
( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “stake in Visa.”
JPMorgan Chase says profits jumped sharply in the second quarter as the bank cashed in billions of dollars of its holdings in Visa Inc.
[CutID: <Cuts> JPMORGAN-PROFIT-house-q-FRIam.mp3
Time: 25s
Title: JPMORGAN-PROFIT-house-q-FRIam
Out-cue: stake in Visa]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
—————————
VERBATIM: The bank’s results were also helped by higher interest rates, as well as consumers who seemed to still want to spend, despite geopolitical and economic uncertainties. The nation’s biggest bank by assets posted a profit of $18.15 billion, up 25% from a year earlier. A significant part of JPMorgan’s results was a $7.9 billion gain on its stake in Visa.
Democrats Fret Over Likely Biden Fallout On Downballot Races
Democrat Senator Fetterman Says He Has Biden’s Back “100%”
Sen. Cruz: Dems will Replace Biden with VP Harris or Michelle Obama
PepsiCo second quarter profits jump, but demand slips
( ) -q-18- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “$22.59-billion analysts forecast.”
Pepsi reported higher-than-expected earnings in the second quarter even as customer demand for its snacks and drinks continued to slip.
[CutID: <Cuts> PEPSI-PROFITS-house-q-THUam.mp3
Time: 18s
Title: PEPSI-PROFITS-house-q-THUam
Out-cue: $22.59-billion analysts forecast]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
—————————-
VERBATIM: The Purchase, New York-based company said its net income rose 12% to $3 billion for the April-to-June period. Pepsi said its revenue grew less than 1% to $22.5 billion. That was slightly lower than the $22.59-billion analysts forecast.
Higher costs and low base fares send Delta’s profit down 29%
( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “of last year.”
Delta Air Lines says its second-quarter profit is down 29% from a year earlier, and it’s giving a disappointing outlook for the third quarter.
[CutID: <Cuts> DELTA-PROFIT-house-q-THUam.mp3
Time: 23s
Title: DELTA-PROFIT-house-q-THUam
Out-cue: of last year]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
—————————
VERBATIM: Delta says it earned $1.31 billion in the second quarter, down from more than $1.83 billion last year. The weaker profit comes despite strong revenue, as Americans travel in record numbers. But Delta’s costs are rising even faster than its revenue. The airline spent much more on labor, jet fuel and other big items than it did in the same period of last year.
Biden awards $1.7 billion to boost EV manufacturing and assembly in 8 states
( ) -q-26- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “for the grants.”
The Biden administration is awarding nearly $2 billion in grants to help restart or expand electric vehicle manufacturing and assembly sites in eight states.
[CutID: <Cuts> BIDEN-EVs-house-q-THUam.mp3
Time: 26s
Title: BIDEN-EVs-house-q-THUam
Out-cue: for the grants]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Three of the eight states receiving grants are the presidential battlegrounds of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia.
—————————
VERBATIM: The Energy Department will issue grants totaling $1.7 billion to create or retain thousands of union jobs and support auto-based communities. The White House says the grants cover a broad range of the automotive supply chain. They include electric motorcycles and school buses, hybrid powertrains, heavy-duty commercial truck batteries and electric SUVs. The 2022 climate law pays for the grants.
US inflation cools again, potentially paving way for Fed to cut interest rates soon
( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) ”
Inflation in the United States cooled in June for a third straight month.
[CutID: <Cuts> CONSUMER-PRICES-house-q-THUam.mp3
Time: 22s
Title: CONSUMER-PRICES-house-q-THUam
Out-cue: its two-percent target]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
———————————
VERBATIM: The government reports consumer prices declined 0.1% from May to June after having remained flat the previous month. Measured from 12 months earlier, prices were up 3% in June, down from 3.3% in May. The latest inflation readings could help convince the Fed’s policymakers that inflation is returning to its 2% target.
Senate Democrats To Press White House For Answers On Biden Campaign
Decision Desk: GOP Has 82% Chance Of Flipping Senate, 65% Holding House
Senator Blumenthal [D-Conn] “Deeply Concerned” About Biden’s Chances
Samsung Electronics workers announce ‘indefinite’ strike
( ) -q-20- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “disruptions from occurring.”
Unionized workers at Samsung Electronics have declared an indefinite strike to pressure South Korea’s biggest company to accept their calls for higher pays and other benefits.
[CutID: <Cuts> SAMSUNG-STRIKE-house-q-WEDam.mp3
Time: 20s
Title: SAMSUNG-STRIKE-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: disruptions from occurring]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The union meanwhile, said it has engaged in unspecified disruptions on the company’s production lines to get management to eventually come to the negotiating table if the strikes continue.
——————————
VERBATIM: Thousands of members of the National Samsung Electronics Union launched a temporary, three-day strike on Monday. But the union subsequently announced an indefinite strike, accusing the management of being unwilling to negotiate. Samsung Electronics says there have been no disruptions to production and that it will prevent any disruptions from occurring.
Massachusetts ballot question would give Uber and Lyft drivers right to form a union
( ) -q-28- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “hands of drivers.”
Drivers for ride-hailing companies in Massachusetts are pushing ahead with what they describe as a first-of-its-kind ballot question that could win them union rights if approved by voters.
[CutID: <Cuts> MASS-UBER-LYFT-house-q-WEDam.mp3
Time: 28s
Title: MASS-UBER-LYFT-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: hands of drivers]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
————————-
VERBATIM: The push comes despite Uber and Lyft drivers having just secured a landmark settlement last month guaranteeing they will earn a minimum pay standard of $32.50 per hour in Massachusetts. Supporters say the tens of thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers working in Massachusetts deserve the collective bargaining benefits of unions. But critics, including some drivers, say the question doesn’t go far enough and would not put enough power in the hands of drivers.
Analysts alarmed by threats to US data gathering
( ) -q-29- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “many more people.”
Statisticians and demographers are sounding the alarm about threats to official data gathering in the U.S.
[CutID: <Cuts> DATA-GATHERING-house-q-WEDam.mp3
Time: 29s
Title: DATA-GATHERING-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: many more people]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
—————————–
VERBATIM: They warn that funding for the federal statistical agencies is inadequate and measures in a House appropriations bill could undermine what Americans know about themselves. A report from the American Statistical Association also warns that the agencies lack protections against political interference. Advocates are concerned about a bill on Capitol Hill which they say would limit how many times a respondent can be contacted by federal agencies, and would therefore miss many more people.
