Author: News Room

Egg Prices Have Dropped, Though You May Not Have Noticed

The wholesale price of eggs has dropped sharply since the beginning of March after soaring for months, but it may take a few weeks for grocery shoppers to see the decline.Wholesale egg prices, which is what retailers pay to procure eggs, have fallen to a national average of just over $4 for a dozen large white eggs, down from a peak of more than $8 at the end of February, according to data from the Agriculture Department released last week.But because eggs typically have a four-week shelf life, it may be the end of March before retail prices start to…

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E.U. Hatches a Plan to Lure Investors Back to Europe

America’s once highflying stock markets are stumbling, and their counterparts in Europe are faring much better. Shares in European companies have comfortably outperformed the S&P 500 in recent months, as President Trump’s trade war has prompted investors to revisit their assumptions. Officials in Brussels say that the rally could be even bigger.The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, is set to introduce a proposal on Wednesday to tap trillions of euros parked in Europeans’ savings accounts as part of a strategy to incentivize investors to back Europe Inc.The draft plan has a second objective: encourage consolidation among…

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Edison’s Power Lines Were Under Strain 14 Hours Before Eaton Fire

About 14 hours before the Eaton fire started on Jan. 7 on the hills above Altadena and Pasadena, Calif., power lines in the area appear to have come under strain from intensifying winds.New data from a company that maintains electrical sensors suggests that the transmission network of Southern California Edison was stressed long before the most severe winds bore down on the Los Angeles region, adding to growing criticism that the electric utility did not do enough to prevent the blaze. Edison is already under review as the possible cause of the Eaton fire, which fire killed 17 people and…

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In Europe and Japan, Luxury Sleeper Trains

If you’ve longed to indulge in elegant rail travel, but thought the days of lavish cars and live music were over, you’re in luck. New trains as well as new routes, amenities and special events are rolling out, enticing travelers to sit back, Champagne in hand, and glide through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Be it the Lake District in England or the mountainous island of Kyushu in Japan, these journeys offer suites that rival rooms in high-end hotels, and dishes from chefs whose restaurants have won Michelin stars. Here’s where to climb aboard.Paris to Tuscany and Paris…

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How CoreWeave Went From Crypto Mining to Wall Street’s A.I. Bellwether

In 2016, three New York commodities traders — Michael Intrator, Brian Venturo and Brannin McBee — fell in love with cryptocurrencies. They were using Bitcoin to bet on pool games and fantasy football and were captivated by its wild swings in price.They soon decided to create more digital currencies through a process called “mining,” which requires a lot of computing power. So they logged on to Amazon and ordered two Nvidia graphics processing units, or GPUs, powerful chips that can run calculations and analyze enormous amounts of data. They then stockpiled the components, filling up a garage and a warehouse.In…

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San Francisco Giants Sells Stake to Private Equity Firm Sixth Street

Private equity likes the long ball The San Francisco Giants, one of Major League Baseball’s most successful franchises, have sold about 10 percent of the team to the private equity group Sixth Street, The Times’s Ken Belson and DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch are first to report.The team will use the cash to help pay for upgrades to the franchise’s 25-year-old stadium and other facilities, as well as the Mission Rock real estate development adjacent to the ballpark.Details of the purchase, which was approved by Major League Baseball Monday, were not disclosed. But the team was last valued at $3.8 billion by…

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Nvidia Is Hosting the Super Bowl of A.I.

In 2009, when Nvidia held its first developer conference, the event was something of a science fair. Dozens of academics filled a San Jose, Calif., hotel decorated with white poster boards of computer research. Jensen Huang, the chipmaker’s chief executive, roamed the floor like a judge.This year, Nvidia’s developer conference is far different.More than 25,000 people are expected to congregate on Tuesday at the event, known as Nvidia GTC. The crowds will fill a National Hockey League arena to hear a speech about the future of artificial intelligence from Mr. Huang, who has been nicknamed “A.I. Jesus.” Nvidia, the world’s…

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Hong Kong Adds to China’s Growing Criticism of Panama Canal Deal

Political pressure is mounting over a plan by a Hong Kong conglomerate to sell its Panama ports to BlackRock, the American investor, raising questions about the future of the $19 billion deal.John Lee, the leader of Hong Kong, added his voice on Tuesday to escalating warnings from China, saying the transaction deserved “serious attention.”The deal between CK Hutchison, one of Hong Kong’s most successful conglomerates, and BlackRock, the world’s biggest asset manager, was seen by investors as a solution to a geopolitical hot potato that began with a claim by President Trump that CK Hutchison’s ownership of two major ports…

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Book Review: ‘Abundance,’ by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson

ABUNDANCE, by Ezra Klein and Derek ThompsonIn 1833, John Adolphus Etzler, a German engineer who immigrated to Pittsburgh, announced that earthly paradise was suddenly in reach. Economic growth and modern technology were changing everything. Coal might run out, but humanity would harness wind, tidal and solar power. A trillion or more people could call this planet home, constructing islands across the seas to make room. And, as you built up land, you could drink directly from the ocean: Etzler was a follower of the wonkish French utopian Charles Fourier, who promised that the scientific reinvention of nature would transmute the…

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Trump Says a Recession Would Be Worth It, but Economists Are Skeptical

Presidents usually do all they can to avoid recessions, so much so that they avoid even saying the word.But President Trump and his advisers in recent weeks have offered a very different message. Yes, a recession is possible, they have said. Maybe one wouldn’t even be that bad.Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, has said Mr. Trump’s policies are “worth it” even if they cause a recession. Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, has said the economy may need a “detox period” after becoming dependent on government spending. And Mr. Trump has said there will be a “period of transition” as his…

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