Initial claims for unemployment in the U.S. totaled 360,000 last week – a new pandemic-era low and in line with Dow Jones estimates. Still, stock futures ticked lower Thursday and government bond yields edged down. Overall, signs of recovery and stronger-than-expected corporate earnings have boosted the market, but investors remain wary that an uptick in COVID-19 infections could threaten progress.
Morgan Stanley earnings beat estimates as stock trading and investment banking top expectations - CNBC
Poll: 1.8 million Americans have turned down jobs due to unemployment benefits - Axios
US is 'losing time' in vaccination race as Delta variant becomes more pervasive, expert says - CNN
Companies are struggling to navigate the balance of return to work guidance along with liability and legal concerns. Experts suggest exploring the purpose of returning to the office, formulating a communication plan so messages are clear and giving proper notice.
Businesses warn of confusion and chaos over Covid workplace guidance - Financial Times
Planning An Office Return? 13 Questions To Ask Employees - Forbes
The future of work has arrived, and it’s messy. - Politico
The pay gap between CEOs and the typical U.S. worker widened during the pandemic. SandP 500 chief executives made 299 times what rank-and-file employees earned, up from a ratio of 264-to-1 in 2019. Companies in the consumer discretionary industry, including retailers like Amazon, had the highest disparity.
CEOs took pay cuts in 2020. But they wound up earning more - Los Angeles Times
BlackRock Is Raising Base Salaries by 8%, Starting in September - Barron’s
Rents Are Out Of Reach For Most Americans Earning Minimum Wage, A Study Says - NPR
@EconomicPolicy: “CEO pay jumped nearly 16% in 2020 while average worker compensation rose 1.8%, according to our preliminary analysis.”
Unions and advocacy groups are asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to take a harder line with private-equity firms, arguing the regulator has been ineffective at curbing abuse and enforcing disclosure within the industry. With PE-owned companies at the height of growth, SPACs and de-SPACs are leading in transactions and melding private and public companies with record numbers.
Private-Equity Firms Are Back at the Deal Table. Here's What to Expect. - Insider
Warehouse for Amazon Aims to Go Public as Single-Property Business - The Wall Street Journal
China's start-up investors look to other markets as regulatory scrutiny on U.S. IPOs builds - CNBC
@ftenergy: “Private equity’s new favourite lender: itself”
Workers shortages and exacerbated pressure put on companies related to the pandemic is driving automation in various industries. Many scientific and biomedical laboratories have turned to robots for routine tests. The explosion of new tools and technologies powering Industry 4.0 is expected to progress sectors aside from medicine, including manufacturing, technology and telecommunications.
Labor shortages and cost pressures are top concerns for CFOs survey finds - Fortune
Humanoid Robot Keeps Getting Fired From His Jobs - The Wall Street Journal
Walmart will be bringing Symbotic robots to 25 distribution centers - TechCrunch
@seattletimes: “Facebook AI researchers say they have developed a ‘breakthrough’ in the race to make robots more human-like. The software enables machines to learn to walk like toddlers. The breakthrough might open the door to cheaper robots.”
"Total U.S. Workers Employed" - Politico / Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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