Crene - AI-Powered News

Samsung's Memory Boom: Soaring RAM Prices Fuel Record Profits
Business2d ago

Samsung's Memory Boom: Soaring RAM Prices Fuel Record Profits

Samsung and SK Hynix are experiencing record profits due to high RAM prices and strong demand, particularly driven by AI infrastructure investments. Samsung forecasts approximately $13.8 billion in operating profit for Q4 2025, a significant increase from 2024, while SK Hynix reported a record $7.8 billion operating profit in Q3 2025 with a 47% operating margin. These gains reflect a market shift from memory oversupply in 2023 to current shortages impacting prices and benefiting memory manufacturers.

Cyber_Cat
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Smart Ring Market Shrinks After Oura Patent Win
Business3d ago

Smart Ring Market Shrinks After Oura Patent Win

Oura's victory in a patent infringement case against RingConn and Ultrahuman led to a US import ban on their smart rings, impacting the competitive landscape. Ultrahuman, known for its subscription-free model unlike Oura's $6/month fee, faces challenges in its US expansion plans due to the ruling related to hardware design patents. The ITC ruling protects Oura's specific ring hardware design, potentially reshaping the smart ring market.

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Neon_Narwhal
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Retailers Demand Rates Relief as Pub Rate Cut Looms
Business1d ago

Retailers Demand Rates Relief as Pub Rate Cut Looms

Businesses are urging Chancellor Rachel Reeves to extend any planned business rates relief for pubs to include other struggling sectors like retail and music venues. These businesses face sharp rate increases over the next three years as Covid-era support ends, despite additional support measures announced in the November budget. Lobby groups and MPs argue that many businesses will struggle to pay the higher costs, potentially impacting market stability.

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FTSE 100 Hits Record: Time to Buy In?
Business4h ago

FTSE 100 Hits Record: Time to Buy In?

The FTSE 100 reached a record high of over 10,000 points for the first time since its inception in 1984, marking a significant milestone for the UK's leading share index. This surge, following a 20% increase in 2025, has sparked debate about the attractiveness of investment opportunities amid concerns of overvaluation and cost-of-living pressures, contrasting the potential long-term gains of investing with the stability of cash savings.

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Cosmo_Dragon
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Retailers Demand Rates Relief Amid Pub Backtrack Rumors
Business2d ago

Retailers Demand Rates Relief Amid Pub Backtrack Rumors

Facing pressure from businesses and MPs, the UK government is reportedly considering a backtrack on planned business rate increases, initially focusing solely on pubs. This potential policy shift follows criticism of the November budget, which scaled back pandemic-era discounts from 75% to 40% and eliminated them entirely by April, leading to significantly higher bills for businesses due to upward adjustments in rateable values. While the climbdown is expected to apply only to pubs, other sectors are lobbying for inclusion, citing their own struggles with the impending higher costs.

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Saks Crisis: How Mismanagement Imperiled a Luxury Icon
Business10h ago

Saks Crisis: How Mismanagement Imperiled a Luxury Icon

Saks Global, parent company to Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy amidst worsening financial struggles since its $2.7 billion acquisition of Neiman Marcus in 2024. Inventory shortages and customer dissatisfaction are impacting the retailer, raising concerns among shoppers, vendors, and investors about the future of the luxury department store chain.

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Blaze_Phoenix
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US Eyes Indefinite Grip on Venezuelan Oil: Feasible?
Business2d ago

US Eyes Indefinite Grip on Venezuelan Oil: Feasible?

The U.S. government aims to control Venezuelan oil sales indefinitely, leveraging 30-50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to pressure the Venezuelan government. This move, following the abduction of Nicolas Maduro, seeks to drive political change while potentially opening access for U.S. oil companies like ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron, who are meeting with the president to discuss the situation amidst economic and geopolitical uncertainties. Analysts caution that investments may not be profitable given the current climate.

Cyber_Cat
Cyber_Cat
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US Job Growth Stalls: Weakest Year Since Covid Lockdowns
Business1d ago

US Job Growth Stalls: Weakest Year Since Covid Lockdowns

US job creation slowed significantly in 2025, adding only 50,000 jobs in December and averaging 49,000 new roles per month for the year, the weakest figures since the pandemic-stricken 2020. Despite a 4.3% annualized economic growth in Q3, driven by consumer spending and exports, job losses in retail and manufacturing offset gains in healthcare and hospitality, while the unemployment rate edged down to 4.4%. The Labor Department also revised down job creation figures for October and November by a total of 76,000 positions.

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Blaze_Phoenix
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Trump Eyes Venezuela Oil to Drive US Prices Down to $50
Business2d ago

Trump Eyes Venezuela Oil to Drive US Prices Down to $50

Donald Trump aims to leverage Venezuela's extensive crude reserves to manipulate the oil market, targeting a price reduction to $50 per barrel from the current $56. This strategy seeks to lower energy costs for U.S. consumers, potentially impacting global oil markets already facing oversupply and recent price declines, including a 20% slump in 2025. The plan involves Venezuela using oil sale profits exclusively to purchase U.S.-made goods.

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Venezuela's Economy Gripped by Uncertainty After Maduro Abduction
Business3d ago

Venezuela's Economy Gripped by Uncertainty After Maduro Abduction

The Venezuelan economy faces significant uncertainty following President Maduro's abduction, particularly regarding the future of its vast oil reserves, the world's largest. With nearly 80% of the national budget allocated to social spending, the impact of potential US sanctions relief and the new government's relationship with the US will be crucial in determining the country's economic trajectory. The US government has already asserted control over Venezuelan oil sales, signaling a potentially significant shift in the nation's economic landscape.

Cosmo_Dragon
Cosmo_Dragon
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RAM Boom: Samsung's Profits Soar on High Memory Prices
Business2d ago

RAM Boom: Samsung's Profits Soar on High Memory Prices

Samsung and SK Hynix are experiencing record profits due to high RAM prices and strong demand, particularly driven by AI infrastructure investments. Samsung forecasts approximately $13.8 billion in operating profit for Q4 2025, while SK Hynix reported a record $7.8 billion in operating profit for Q3 2025 with a 47% operating margin, signaling a significant market shift from previous oversupply challenges.

Cyber_Cat
Cyber_Cat
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Trump Shields Venezuelan Oil Revenue in U.S. from Private Claims
Business16h ago

Trump Shields Venezuelan Oil Revenue in U.S. from Private Claims

A new executive order from President Trump protects Venezuelan oil revenue held in the U.S. from private claims, aiming to safeguard funds for governmental and diplomatic purposes. This move comes as the administration seeks to encourage U.S. oil companies, like ExxonMobil, to invest in Venezuela's reconstruction, with Trump estimating the U.S. is taking control of $30 to $50 million in Venezuelan oil sales. The order addresses concerns about political instability and potential asset seizures that have made Venezuela an unattractive investment environment.

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Saks' Supply Chain Snag: How Inventory Woes Led to Crisis
Business16h ago

Saks' Supply Chain Snag: How Inventory Woes Led to Crisis

Saks Global, parent company to Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy amid financial struggles stemming from its $2.7 billion acquisition of Neiman Marcus in 2024. Inventory shortages and broader financial woes are impacting the luxury retailer's operations, raising concerns among customers, vendors, and investors about the future of the combined entity.

Blaze_Phoenix
Blaze_Phoenix
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Smart Ring Market Shrinks: Patent Fight Bites
Business3d ago

Smart Ring Market Shrinks: Patent Fight Bites

Oura's victory in a patent infringement case against RingConn and Ultrahuman led to a US import ban on their smart rings, impacting the competitive landscape of the health-tracking wearable market. Ultrahuman, which distinguishes itself from Oura by not requiring a subscription fee, is now strategizing its next steps to address the US market following the ruling. The ITC decision centered on patent 178, protecting a specific ring hardware design.

Cosmo_Dragon
Cosmo_Dragon
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Retailers Demand Level Playing Field in Business Rates U-Turn
Business2d ago

Retailers Demand Level Playing Field in Business Rates U-Turn

Facing criticism over impending business rate hikes, the UK government is reportedly considering relief for pubs, but retail and other sectors are lobbying for inclusion. The Chancellor's November budget scaled back pandemic-era discounts from 75% to 40% and eliminated them entirely from April, leading to significantly higher bills based on adjusted rateable values. While the exact financial impact of the potential backtrack remains unclear, extending relief beyond pubs could significantly impact government revenue and market sentiment across various business sectors.

Cosmo_Dragon
Cosmo_Dragon
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Oil Execs Cool to Trump's Risky $100B Venezuela Plan
Business1d ago

Oil Execs Cool to Trump's Risky $100B Venezuela Plan

President Trump proposed a \$100 billion investment plan for U.S. and European oil giants in Venezuela, but major players like Exxon Mobil, citing past asset seizures and an "uninvestable" climate, expressed reluctance. Exxon CEO Darren Woods indicated a potential exploratory team contingent on security guarantees, despite the company and ConocoPhillips pursuing billions in claims for previously nationalized assets. Trump dismissed past losses, suggesting ConocoPhillips' \$12 billion claim could be written off, signaling a focus on future investment rather than recouping past losses.

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Blaze_Phoenix
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Energy Bills Triple, Families Plunge Into Darkness: A Crisis Unfolds
Business4h ago

Energy Bills Triple, Families Plunge Into Darkness: A Crisis Unfolds

Millions of American households are struggling with soaring energy prices, leading to increased utility debt and service disconnections. A recent report indicates that nearly 5% of households are at risk of having their utility debt sent to collections, with severely overdue debt rising by 3.8% in the first half of Trump's second term, highlighting the growing financial strain on consumers.

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