Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesLONDON — BHP Group on Wednesday said it believes an extension to talks with takeover target Anglo American is necessary, as the deadline for discussions looms later in the session.The Australian miner said in a statement that it had proposed a number of “socioeconomic measures” to address concerns over its bid, but added that more time was needed for discussions.The offer values the company at £38.6 billion ($49.2 billion), according to previous Reuters calculations.”BHP believes a further extension of the Deadline is required to allow for further engagement on its proposal,” it said in a statement.The…
Author: insighter
What are the best college loan types?This question is about student loans. There are multiple college loan types, and many families wonder – which is best? The answer, like so much else in personal finance is, it mostly depends.There are two main types of student loans: federal student loans and private student loans.Federal student loans are offered by the government, and come in multiple variations.Private student loans are offered by private lenders, including banks, credit unions, and state non-profits.The best college loan type depends on your needs and situation. Some loans are not allowed for certain types of education. For example,…
Brexit formally happened four years ago, but its impact is still unfolding. Just look at the border fees that kicked in last month for food products like cheese and meat, adding charges to the extensive paperwork now required for imports from the European Union. The red tape introduced by these new measures has already complicated matters for British food businesses that rely on European supplies, adding hundreds of millions of dollars in estimated additional expenses. But some of the effects go beyond financial costs—it’s caused the world’s largest food awards, the U.K.-based Great Taste awards, to send its judging panel…
2024 has been an exciting year for cryptocurrency, with Bitcoin reaching a new all-time high of more than $70,000 in March.Bitcoin may be the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, but it’s not the best crypto this year in terms of performance.And the stronger performers aren’t just meme coins — there’s a growing selection of established cryptocurrencies with long-term track records.9 top cryptocurrencies by year-to-date performanceBelow is a list of the nine best-performing cryptocurrencies with market caps above $10 billion — a number chosen to weed out less-established coins — ordered by year-to-date performance.Source: CoinMarketCap.com. Data is current as of May…
A worker rides a bicycle past a housing complex under construction in Beijing on May 17, 2024. Jade Gao | Afp | Getty ImagesBEIJING — The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday raised its forecast for China’s growth this year to 5%, from 4.6% previously, due to “strong” first quarter figures and recent policy measures.The upgrade followed an IMF visit to China for a regular assessment. The organization now expects China’s economy to grow by 4.5% in 2025, up from the previous forecast of 4.1%.But by 2029, they anticipate China’s growth will decelerate to 3.3% due to an aging population and slower…
More than 4 million chickens in Iowa will have to be killed after a case of the highly pathogenic bird flu was detected at a large egg farm, the state announced Tuesday. Crews are in the process of killing 4.2 million chickens after the disease was found at a farm in Sioux County, Iowa, making it the latest in a yearslong outbreak that now is affecting dairy cattle as well. Last week, the virus was confirmed at an egg farm west of Minneapolis, Minnesota, leading to the slaughter of nearly 1.4 million chickens. Overall, 92.34 million birds have been killed…
A night in China’s Guizhou province at the Cliff Hotel, pictured here, starts around $83, according to Trip.com, which says the hotel was built in 2023 with 34 rooms.Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese travelers are increasingly opting for cheaper domestic destinations over foreign tourist spots.Only 14% of high-income households that traveled internationally last year plan to go abroad again in 2024, according to a survey released this month by consulting firm Oliver Wyman. The segment covers families in mainland China earning at least 30,000 yuan a month ($4,140, or about $50,000 a year).The top reason for preferring…
Should you pay off student loans or invest your money? With student loan repayment resuming for Americans, this is the question many are asking – especially if they saved up their paused payments.But even for those just starting to repay student loans – should you pay more than the minimum payment, or should you invest any extra money you have?If you have student loans but are also looking to start investing in the stock market, real estate or other types of investments, you might be wondering how to balance student loan repayment and investing. There are a number of different…
Alessandro Biascioli | Istock | Getty ImagesWhen it comes to claiming Social Security retirement benefits, experts agree it’s generally best to delay.Yet many people still claim early — either at the earliest possible age of 62 or before their full retirement age.Those early claims result in reduced Social Security benefits for life.To get 100% of the benefits you’ve earned, you need to wait until full retirement age — between age 66 and 67, depending on your date of birth.To get the highest benefit, retirees need to wait to claim until age 70.More from Personal Finance:As Social Security’s funds face insolvency,…
Combining finances with a partner can happen at any stage of your relationship, even if you’ve been married to your partner for a long time. It can be a great opportunity for a couple to get on the same page about what they want their financial future to look like, especially when it comes to big considerations such as child care, homeownership and retirement. An academic study published in the Journal of Consumer Research in 2023 found that couples with joint bank accounts experience less financial conflict and greater harmony within their relationships. The study results indicated that couples who…
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos doesn’t think AI will ever replace the work of Hollywood’s best creative minds. But he does think using AI might help them beat their competition. In an interview with the New York Times Sarandos said using AI will become a new industry standard and that those in the movie business who don’t keep up with the tech will get left behind. “A.I. is not going to take your job,” Sarandos told the Times in an interview published Saturday. “The person who uses A.I. well might take your job.” It’s an oft-repeated phrase from executives and career…
Jaap Arriens | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesHess shareholders on Tuesday approved the New York-headquartered oil company’s pending acquisition by Chevron for $53 billion, even as the timeline for when the deal may close has become increasingly murky with the companies locked in a dispute with Exxon Mobil.A majority of outstanding Hess shares voted in favor of the merger agreement, though the company did not immediately provide a tally of the vote. Hess’ stock was little changed after the vote. The pending deal is in potential jeopardy amid Exxon’s claim to a right of first refusal over Hess’ assets in Guyana…