https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/11/tech/amazon-retraining-workers/index.html
2019-07-11 14:16:00Z
52780330632147
The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 27,000 for the first time on Thursday as the top three equity benchmarks traded higher on Wall Street after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled the central bank was still moving towards an interest rate cut due to trade uncertainties.
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Following several days of uneven trading activity over concerns that the Federal Reserve would withhold moving forward on the expected cuts, investors were optimistic after Powell’s remarks that the central bank’s outlook for the U.S. economy is weighed down by trade tensions.
Many Federal Open Markets Committee participants “saw that the case for a somewhat more accommodative monetary policy had strengthened," he said in prepared testimony for the House Financial Services Committee.
Powell is back on Capitol Hill for a second round of testimony, this time before the Senate.
Ticker | Security | Last | Change | %Chg |
---|---|---|---|---|
I:DJI | DOW JONES AVERAGES | 26956.74 | +96.54 | +0.36% |
SP500 | S&P 500 | 2996.66 | +3.59 | +0.12% |
I:COMP | NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX | 8206.503664 | +3.97 | +0.05% |
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Powell also said a strong June jobs report did not change the central bank's economic outlook or policy on interest rates. He is scheduled to testify in front of a Senate panel on Thursday.
In economic news, initial claims for state unemployment benefits declined 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 209,000 for the week ended July 6, the lowest level since April, the Labor Department said.
Shares of technology companies will be active after the French government on Thursday approved a new tax on those firms amid a probe into the measure by the U.S. government. The 3 percent tax on companies with roughly $845 million in global revenue and $281 million in digital sales in France will take effect retroactively to the start of 2019.
Meanwhile, investors are eagerly awaiting a July 31 policy meeting to see if the Federal Reserve moves forward with the rate cuts.
In company earnings news, shares of Delta Air Lines surged on better-than-expected results for the second quarter. Profits at the Atlanta-based carrier rose 32 percent to $2.35 per share, as revenue grew to $12.5 billion.
Ticker | Security | Last | Change | %Chg |
---|---|---|---|---|
DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 60.37 | +0.90 | +1.51% |
Last month, President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to relaunch trade talks after negotiations fell apart in May.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP
Top White House officials had “constructive” talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and Minister Zhong Shan earlier this week and a face-to-face meeting is possible.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 27,000 for the first time on Thursday as the top three equity benchmarks traded higher on Wall Street after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled the central bank was still moving towards an interest rate cut due to trade uncertainties.
Continue Reading Below
Following several days of uneven trading activity over concerns that the Federal Reserve would withhold moving forward on the expected cuts, investors were optimistic after Powell’s remarks that the central bank’s outlook for the U.S. economy is weighed down by trade tensions.
Many Federal Open Markets Committee participants “saw that the case for a somewhat more accommodative monetary policy had strengthened," he said in prepared testimony for the House Financial Services Committee.
Powell is back on Capitol Hill for a second round of testimony, this time before the Senate.
Ticker | Security | Last | Change | %Chg |
---|---|---|---|---|
I:DJI | DOW JONES AVERAGES | 27004.91 | +144.71 | +0.54% |
SP500 | S&P 500 | 3000.02 | +6.95 | +0.23% |
I:COMP | NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX | 8215.427629 | +12.90 | +0.16% |
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Powell also said a strong June jobs report did not change the central bank's economic outlook or policy on interest rates. He is scheduled to testify in front of a Senate panel on Thursday.
In economic news, initial claims for state unemployment benefits declined 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 209,000 for the week ended July 6, the lowest level since April, the Labor Department said.
Shares of technology companies will be active after the French government on Thursday approved a new tax on those firms amid a probe into the measure by the U.S. government. The 3 percent tax on companies with roughly $845 million in global revenue and $281 million in digital sales in France will take effect retroactively to the start of 2019.
Meanwhile, investors are eagerly awaiting a July 31 policy meeting to see if the Federal Reserve moves forward with the rate cuts.
In company earnings news, shares of Delta Air Lines surged on better-than-expected results for the second quarter. Profits at the Atlanta-based carrier rose 32 percent to $2.35 per share, as revenue grew to $12.5 billion.
Ticker | Security | Last | Change | %Chg |
---|---|---|---|---|
DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 60.08 | +0.61 | +1.03% |
Last month, President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to relaunch trade talks after negotiations fell apart in May.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP
Top White House officials had “constructive” talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and Minister Zhong Shan earlier this week and a face-to-face meeting is possible.
U.S. underlying consumer prices increased by the most in nearly 1-1/2 years in June amid solid gains in the costs of a range of goods and services, but will probably not change expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this month.
The Labor Department said on Thursday its consumer price index excluding the volatile food and energy components rose 0.3% last month. That as the largest increase since January 2018 and followed four straight monthly gains of 0.1%. The so-called core CPI was boosted by strong increases in the prices for apparel, used cars and trucks, as well as household furnishings.
There were also increases in the cost of healthcare and rents. In the 12 months through June, the core CPI climbed 2.1% after advancing 2.0% in May.
The overall CPI edged up 0.1% last month, held back by cheaper gasoline and food prices. The CPI rose 0.1% in May. It increased 1.6% year-on-year in June after rising 1.8% in May.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI unchanged in June and rising 1.6% year-on-year.
The Fed, which has a 2% inflation target, tracks the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index for monetary policy. The core PCE price index increased 1.5 percent year-on-year in May and has undershot its target this year.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday told lawmakers the U.S. central bank would "act as appropriate" to protect the economy from rising risks such as trade tensions and slowing global growth. Powell also said "there is a risk that weak inflation will be even more persistent than we currently anticipate."
Policymakers from the U.S. central bank are scheduled to meet on July 30-31. The Fed last month downgraded its inflation projection for 2019 to 1.5% from the 1.8% projected in March.
In June, gasoline prices dropped 3.6% after falling 0.5% in May. Food prices were unchanged last month after rebounding 0.3% in May. Food consumed at home fell 0.2%.
Owners' equivalent rent of primary residence, which is what a homeowner would pay to rent or receive from renting a home, rose 0.3% in June, matching May's gain. Healthcare costs increased 0.3%, after a similar advance in May.
Apparel prices surged 1.1% after being unchanged in May. Prices for these goods tumbled in March and April after the government introduced a new method and data to calculate their cost. Used motor vehicles and trucks prices jumped 1.6% in June after declining for four straight months.
The price of household furnishings and operations rose 0.8%, the biggest gain since 1991, driven by rising costs for gardening and lawncare services.
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Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin speaks during the JFK Space Summit, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, June 19, 2019.
Katherine Taylor | Reuters
Amazon.com on Thursday unveiled plans to retrain a third of its U.S. workforce — or 100,000 workers — by 2025 to help its employees move into more advanced jobs or find new careers.
The retail and tech giant intends to expand its existing training programs and introduce new ones. The training will be voluntary, and most of the programs are free.
Programs will help workers "access training to move into highly skilled technical and non- technical roles across the company's corporate offices, tech hubs, fulfillment centers, retail stores, and transportation network, or pursue career paths outside of Amazon," the company said in a statement.
Amazon's retraining programs will include:
The planned program is among the biggest corporate retraining initiatives ever announced, at a cost of roughly $7,000 per worker, or $700 million, the Journal said.
Amazon shares are up 34% this year and are among the top performers in the 5-year run by the S&P 500 to 3,000 from 2,000.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the company's retraining program.