July 4th stargazing

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in July, the lowest point since 1976 as employers in the the nation's most populous state continued to defy expectations by adding 84,800 new jobs. Record-high inflation coupled with a cool-down in the housing market have prompted warnings of an economic slowdown as consumers react to high prices for goods from groceries to gasoline. But new numbers released Friday by California's Employment Development Department show its labor market has so far been immune from those issues, as the state has had month-over-month job growth in 17 out of the last 18 months. Nationwide, unemployment rates dropped in 14 states in July, rose in three states and stayed the same in 33 states, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. California now has a slightly lower unemployment rate than Texas, but is … [Read more...] about California sets new low unemployment record in July

The worsening imbalance in favor of imports bound for the Philippines over exports brought the country’s balance of payments (BOP) to a deficit of $1.8 billion in July, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), a reversal from the surplus of $642 million recorded in July 2021 and wider than the $1.57 billion recorded in June. “The BOP deficit in July 2022 reflected outflows arising mainly from the national government’s foreign currency withdrawals from its deposits with the BSP to settle its foreign currency debt obligations and pay for its various expenditures,” the BSP said. The Bureau of the Treasury has not yet released data on the national government’s debt stock for the end of July. But as of the end of June, outstanding foreign debt amounted to a total equivalent to P4.02 trillion. Also, the end-July BOP brought the seven-month or January-July result to a deficit of $4.9 billion or more than thrice the $1.3-billion deficit recorded in the same period of 2021. … [Read more...] about BOP deficit widened to $1.8B in July

Now that the heatwave has finally hit the UK, there's nothing we'd enjoy less than being in a sweltering kitchen for the foreseeable. Many of us have no doubt been tucking into 'picky' bits and BBQ favourites for quick and simple meal times. But if pizza is your takeaway of choice and you're looking to treat yourself and your family to something tasty for dinner, you're in luck. Domino's has announced a money-saving offer by slicing the price of all size pizzas, giving customers the opportunity to grab a piping hot treat for as little as £8. The deal is available now at Domino's and will last until Sunday (July 24). Until July 24, all small pizzas will be priced at £8, with medium sized pizzas going for just £10 and pizza lovers can go large for just £12. Whether you have a date night indoors planned, or an evening with friends, everyone can get a slice of the action with two medium pizzas costing only £20 - how good is that? Just remember that the big Domino's … [Read more...] about Domino’s slashes the prices of all size pizzas in July deal – but for a limited time

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 COPENHAGEN. Denmark (AP) — Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Friday she has taken a drug test “for her own legal protection” after a video was leaked of her dancing and lip-syncing songs at a private party. Marin defended her actions, saying she drank alcohol with friends but did not do any drugs. A video posted on social media Thursday shows six people at a party dancing and lip-syncing a song, including Marin. Later in the video, the 36-year-old prime minister is on her knees dancing while lip-syncing. “I have taken a drug test for my own legal protection, the results of which will come in about a week,” Marin told a news conference Friday, according to the Hufvudstadsbladet newspaper. Speaking in English, Marin, the Nordic country's youngest-ever prime minister, said she didn’t have any government meetings that weekend and "I had some time off and I spent it with my … [Read more...] about Finnish PM defends dancing, takes drug test to clear herself

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Lawyers for North Dakota’s lone abortion clinic that two weeks ago closed its doors asked a judge Friday to delay the start of the state’s trigger law banning the procedure. The abortion ban is set to go into effect on Aug. 26. The Red River Women’s Clinic in Fargo argued for a preliminary injunction as part of a lawsuit that says the ban violates the state constitution. Burleigh County District Judge Bruce Romanick said he would make a decision on the motion by the end of next week. He did not say how they would proceed with the lawsuit. Romanick put the trigger ban on hold last month when he ruled that Attorney General Drew Wrigley was premature in setting a July 28 closing date. The judge issued a temporary restraining order that in effect gave the Fargo clinic time to transition to a new location in nearby Moorhead, Minnesota, where … [Read more...] about Lawyers argue to delay North Dakota law banning abortion

A version of this story first appeared in CNN Business' Before the Bell newsletter. Not a subscriber? You can sign up right here . You can listen to an audio version of the newsletter by clicking the same link. New York (CNN Business) The bears and bulls are at it again. Markets have seemingly recovered from a miserable downturn in mid-June that sent the S&P 500 ( SPX ) down more than 20%, but analysts and investors can't tell whether it's clear skies ahead or if they're in the eye of the storm. Things are looking pretty good right about now. The 9.2% return in the S&P 500 last month marked its best July since the Great Depression. Jurrien Timmer of Fidelity Investments noted recently that 88% of all stocks in the index are currently sitting pretty above their 50-day moving average. "If this rally continues much further than it has so far, on a historical basis it will be hard to conclude that this is not a new bull market," he … [Read more...] about Has the bear market really gone into early hibernation?

(CNN) The pandemic forced Freed Bodyworks, a wellness center offering massage therapy, yoga, acupuncture, mental health counseling and other services, to shut down for four months. But while clients returned when it reopened in the summer of 2020, workers did not. Almost two years later, owners Frances Reed and Jessica VonDyke were forced to shut the business' doors. "I couldn't hire anyone," said Reed. "We never had trouble with our demand for services. It was 100% a supply issue for us." Freed Bodyworks Holistic Wellness Center in Washington, DC. Before the pandemic, Freed Bodyworks had 20 practitioners booking up to 550 clients a month. It reopened with a skeleton crew of eight -- too few, Reed said, to bring in enough revenue to sustain the business. Two former staffers had departed for graduate school, three had moved to areas with a lower cost of living and several had to take on caregiving roles in their families. … [Read more...] about America’s small businesses are running out of workers

New York (CNN Business) The cord has been cut. For the first time ever, Americans are watching more streaming TV than cable, according to a report from Nielsen . The milestone has long been expected as viewers change their viewing habits and ditch their pricey cable bundles for cheaper alternatives. In July, streaming amounted to 34.8% in the share of total TV consumption, a growth of nearly 23% within the past year. Cable and broadcast viewership both dropped year over year, with the former amounting to 34.4% and the latter making up just 21.6%. Both fell around 10% compared to July 2021. Nielsen notes streaming has surpassed broadcast before, but its the "first time it has also exceeded cable viewing." Netflix, Hulu and YouTube also captured record-high shares, with Netflix ( NFLX ) being the biggest streaming platform thanks to "Stranger Things'" new season. The report's findings aren't surprising, but it is an inflection point for … [Read more...] about The cord has been cut. Streaming is more watched than cable

New York (CNN Business) McDonald's Chicken Big Mac was a huge hit in the United Kingdom. Now it's crossing the pond. Beginning later this month, the burger chain is testing the fan favorite at select restaurants in Miami for a limited time. The Chicken Big Mac is similar to its meaty sibling, however it replaces the two burgers with two tempura chicken patties. Of course, it also includes the signature Big Mac sauce, pickles, shredded lettuce and a slice of American cheese. McDonald's is testing the Chicken Big Mac in Miami. McDonald's briefly sold the limited-time offering earlier this year in the UK. The Chicken Big Mac was so popular that it sold out about 10 days after it made its debut. The chain said that it was its "most popular launch ever" in the UK and Ireland. In a statement, McDonald's said that it's "always looking to give our fans more ways to enjoy the classic menu items they know and love." However, it cautioned that the … [Read more...] about McDonald’s is bringing a British hit to the US

Mykolaiv, Ukraine (CNN) A Ukrainian reconnaissance team squats in a modest home in a village near Mykolaiv . Machine guns and army knapsacks line the walls, sleeping bags lie rolled out on the floor, and a pot of soup warms on the stove. Outside, the garden shed is stacked with Javelins and other shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons. The soldiers smoking on the porch hardly notice the boom of incoming artillery shells landing some 10 kilometers away. Today is not their turn to fight on Ukraine's southern front . The owners of the house, who fled to Poland after the war broke out in late February, are happy in the knowledge that their village is now back in Ukrainian hands. Senior Lieutenant Andrii Pidlisnyi was one of the soldiers that drove the Russians out two months ago. "At first, it was a defensive operation to stop them," he says. "After that we found some good places where we can make offensive operations and take back our territories. … [Read more...] about War for the south: Ukraine sets its sights on regaining cities and towns lost to Russian troops