According to an undergraduate, having pocket money from the Sarawak government eases the financial burden off from students who live far from their families. — Bernama photo KUCHING (Dec 11): The RM1,200 pocket money initiative for Sarawakian university students, announced last month, has been met with enthusiasm by many. However, some of them are questioning its long-term effectiveness and economic impact. Russell Floyd Albert For Russell Floyd Albert, he agrees that the programme offers immediate relief. “This is helpful for us in terms of our budgeting and pocket money. We, the students, can use the money to buy books, stationery items, clothes and other essential things for us to use every day,” the fourth-year student of a public institution of higher learning (IPTA) told The Borneo Post. Adding on, Russell said this incentive would alleviate some burden off the students and help to keep them focused on their studies, instead of having to do part-time jobs to cover their living expenses and also university fees. “Some of my friends said: ‘Abang Jo terbaik!’ (Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is the best!) as this initiative by him would reduce the burden of living costs and school fees off the students,” he added. Dzul Iqnizarith Zahren Mohamad Yakup Dzul Iqnizarith Zahren Mohamad Yakup, a third-year IPTA student, was also all praise for the aid programme. “Having pocket money from the Sarawak government eases the financial burden off from the students who live far from their families. “We, students, won’t have to stress about how to cover our daily expenses. It supports our social activities too, allowing us to attend gatherings, dine out with friends, or work on group projects without always depending on others. “Ultimately, this assistance helps us lead a more stable and productive life during our studies.” Private university student J. Lee agreed, calling the initiative a good way of promoting tertiary education. “It would help cover postgraduate study costs like printing materials and transportation.” However, not all students view the RM1,200 aid as a major lifeline. Anselm Mcbryan Devric For another IPTA student, Anselm Mcbryan Devric, he praised the initiative for helping those from the B40 (low-income) and M40 (medium-income) families, but also pointed out that RM1,200 would not be enough for the whole year. “At least, it alleviates our burden,” he said. Anselm, a member of his university’s Executive Welfare Committee, also said some of his friends were curious about the procedures involved in the channelling of the RM1,200. “They are eager to know clearer instructions on the distribution process.” Meanwhile, academician Prof Dr Jerome Kueh gave a more cautious perspective. The Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) praised the ‘spirit of inclusivity’ in the initiative, but at the same time, questioned its sustainability. “This can continue if the state is able to maintain its revenue diversification. “Also, the funds used for students’ cash aid may divert the resources from long-term investments like educational infrastructure or skills programmes,” he said. Kueh also warned about ‘unintended consequences’ such as students becoming too reliant on government aid, or spending the funds on non-essential items. “Without financial literacy programmes, the students may misallocate the money, which would defeat the initiative’s purpose.” The lecturer also highlighted potential inflationary effects, saying increased student spending could drive up prices for food, accommodation and transportation near campuses. In this respect, he suggested that pairing the RM1,200 incentive with financial education could further maximise its benefits. “Teaching students to handle their budget wisely and to prioritise their expenses can foster financial independence and responsible-spending habits.”
B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG purchased a new stake in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. ( NYSE:MAA – Free Report ) in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor purchased 7,172 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock, valued at approximately $1,140,000. Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. QRG Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Mid-America Apartment Communities by 12.8% during the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 30,516 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $4,352,000 after acquiring an additional 3,451 shares during the period. Swedbank AB bought a new stake in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in the first quarter valued at about $26,107,000. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in the second quarter valued at about $2,572,000. Portside Wealth Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in the second quarter valued at about $808,000. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities by 6.1% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 156,374 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $22,446,000 after buying an additional 8,984 shares during the period. 93.60% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on MAA shares. JMP Securities increased their target price on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from $139.00 to $163.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 10th. BNP Paribas started coverage on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in a research note on Wednesday, September 11th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $169.00 target price for the company. Wedbush increased their target price on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from $154.00 to $184.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $138.00 to $174.00 in a research report on Monday, August 26th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $161.64. Mid-America Apartment Communities Stock Performance NYSE MAA opened at $160.94 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 0.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. The firm has a market cap of $18.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.33, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a 50 day moving average of $156.76 and a 200-day moving average of $148.94. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. has a 1-year low of $121.38 and a 1-year high of $167.39. Mid-America Apartment Communities ( NYSE:MAA – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.18 by ($1.20). The company had revenue of $551.13 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $548.53 million. Mid-America Apartment Communities had a net margin of 23.84% and a return on equity of 8.38%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.29 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. will post 8.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Mid-America Apartment Communities Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 15th were paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, October 15th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.65%. Mid-America Apartment Communities’s payout ratio is presently 132.73%. Mid-America Apartment Communities Company Profile ( Free Report ) MAA, an S&P 500 company, is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on delivering full-cycle and superior investment performance for shareholders through the ownership, management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of quality apartment communities primarily in the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MAA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. ( NYSE:MAA – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that's he's preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect's threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park." Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn't a trolling-free zone for Trump's adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A." In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden's spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump's taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
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Cruise into this holiday season with a non-traditional vacationVANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Lithium Corp. (“American Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:LI | Nasdaq:AMLI | Frankfurt:5LA1) is announcing that its Board of Directors has approved the voluntary delisting of its common shares (“American Lithium Shares”) from the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) and the deregistration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). American Lithium has notified Nasdaq of its intention to voluntarily delist the American Lithium Shares. The Company currently anticipates that it will file with the SEC a Form 25, Notification of Removal of Listing and/or Registration under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), relating to the delisting and deregistration on or about December 20, 2024, with the delisting of American Lithium Shares taking effect ten calendar days thereafter. As a result, the last trading day of the American Lithium Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market will be December 27, 2024. The American Lithium Shares will continue their listing on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In addition, American Lithium has applied for the American Lithium Shares to be quoted on the OTCQX Markets in the United States, operated by OTC Markets Group Inc. The Company anticipates transferring their shares on to the OTCQX Best® Market immediately following the Nasdaq delist. American Lithium will continue to provide information to its shareholders and take such actions to enable a trading market in the American Lithium Shares to exist in the United States. Following satisfaction of the relevant deregistration conditions under the applicable U.S. federal securities laws, the Form 25 will also terminate the Company’s reporting obligations under the Exchange Act. The Company expects that its reporting obligations will be suspended upon filing of the Form 25. The Board of Directors of the Company believes that the decision to delist the American Lithium Shares from Nasdaq and to terminate its reporting obligations under the Exchange Act is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders. The Board has determined that the burdens associated with operating as a company listed on the Nasdaq outweigh any advantages to the Company and its shareholders at this time. The Board’s decision was based on careful review of numerous factors, including the following: the ongoing direct and indirect costs of Exchange Act compliance and maintaining a continued listing of the American Lithium Shares on Nasdaq, including director and officer insurance premiums, audit fees, legal fees and regulatory fees, and the disproportionate impact of the foregoing costs on the Company’s results of operations; the significant burden on Management involved in the preparation of the Company’s public reports, shorter public reporting deadlines in Canada, and compliance with accounting and other requirements of the Exchange Act; the limited benefits to the Company and its unaffiliated shareholders from the Company’s status as a SEC reporting issuer in light of, among other things, the fact that due to market conditions, the low share price, market capitalization, lack of institutional interest and liquidity in the United States for the American Lithium Shares; the Company is not currently in a position to use its public Company status to issue meaningful amounts of equity securities in the United States or make acquisitions due to market conditions; and the opposition by many large shareholders to a share capital consolidation. American Lithium reserves the right, for any reason, to delay any of the filings described above, to withdraw them prior to effectiveness, and to otherwise change its plans in respect of delisting and deregistration and termination of its reporting obligations under applicable U.S. federal securities laws in any way. Completion of any listing on the OTCQX Markets remains subject to the satisfaction of customary listing conditions and regulatory approval, and there can be no assurance that the American Lithium Shares will be listed for trading on the OTCQX Markets. Ab out American Lithium American Lithium is developing two of the world’s largest, advanced-stage lithium projects, along with the largest undeveloped uranium project in Latin America. They include the TLC claystone lithium project in Nevada, the Falchani hard rock lithium project and the Macusani uranium deposit, both in southern Peru. All three projects have been through robust preliminary economic assessments, exhibit significant expansion potential and enjoy strong community support. For more information, please contact the Company at info@americanlithiumcorp.com or visit our website at www.americanlithiumcorp.com . Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn . On behalf of the Board of Directors of American Lithium Corp. “Alex Tsakumis” Interim CEO Tel: 604 428 6128 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the business plans, expectations and objectives of American Lithium ; the voluntary delisting of the American Lithium Shares from the Nasdaq Capital Market; the deregistration with the SEC; the quotation on the OTC Markets in the United States; and continued listing on the TSX Venture Exchange. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", “indicate”, “scheduled”, “target”, “goal”, “potential”, “subject”, “efforts”, “option” and similar words, or the negative connotations thereof, referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management and are not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Although American Lithium believes that the current opinions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available at the time, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since American Lithium can provide no assurance that such opinions and expectations will prove to be correct. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to: American Lithium’s ability to achieve its stated goals, which could have a material adverse impact on many aspects of American Lithium’s businesses including but not limited to: the ability to access mineral properties for indeterminate amounts of time, the health of the employees or consultants resulting in delays or diminished capacity, social or political instability in Peru which in turn could impact American Lithium’s ability to maintain the continuity of its business operating requirements, may result in the reduced availability or failures of various local administration and critical infrastructure, reduced demand for the American Lithium’s potential products, availability of materials, global travel restrictions, and the availability of insurance and the associated costs; the ongoing ability to work cooperatively with stakeholders, including but not limited to local communities and all levels of government; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that any future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with our expectations; risks that permits will not be obtained as planned or delays in obtaining permits; mining and development risks, including risks related to accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes (including work stoppages, strikes and loss of personnel) or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in exploration and development; risks related to commodity price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations; risks related to foreign operations; the cyclical nature of the industry in which American Lithium operates; risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms or delays in obtaining governmental approvals; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the uncertain global economic environment and the effects upon the global market generally, any of which could continue to negatively affect global financial markets, including the trading price of American Lithium’s shares and could negatively affect American Lithium’s ability to raise capital and may also result in additional and unknown risks or liabilities to American Lithium. Other risks and uncertainties related to prospects, properties and business strategy of American Lithium are identified in the “Risk Factors” section of American Lithium’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on October 15, 2024, and in recent securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. American Lithium undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Cautionary Note Regarding 32 Concessions Thirty-two of the one-hundred-seventy-four concessions comprising the Falchani and Macusani Projects are currently subject to Administrative and Judicial processes in Peru to overturn resolutions issued by INGEMMET and the Mining Council of MINEM in February 2019 and July 2019, respectively, which declared title to thirty-two concessions invalid due to late receipt of the annual validity payments. On November 2, 2021, American Lithium was awarded a favorable ruling in regard to title to the concessions, but on November 26, 2021, appeals of the judicial ruling were lodged by INGEMMET and MINEM. A three-judge tribunal of Peru’s Superior Court unanimously upheld the ruling in a decision reported in November 2023. American Lithium was subsequently notified that INGEMMET and MINEM have filed petitions to the Supreme Court of Peru to assume jurisdiction in the proceedings. Given the precedent of the original ruling it is hoped that the Supreme Court will not assume jurisdiction; however, there is no assurance of the outcome at this time.Texas Longhorns standouts named to All-SEC team
Blackhawks sink RangersBLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 10, 2024-- The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.38 per share of TTC’s common stock, an increase over the previous quarter’s cash dividend of $0.36 per share of TTC’s common stock. This marks the 16 th consecutive year that the company has increased its dividend. The dividend is payable on January 13, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 23, 2024. Additionally, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to an additional 4 million shares of TTC’s common stock through open-market or in privately negotiated transactions from time to time and in such amounts as management deems appropriate. About The Toro Company The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) is a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance, snow and ice management, underground utility construction, rental and specialty construction, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions. With net sales of $4.55 billion in fiscal 2023, The Toro Company’s global presence extends to more than 125 countries through a portfolio of brands that includes Toro, Ditch Witch, Exmark, Spartan, BOSS, Ventrac, American Augers, Trencor, Subsite, HammerHead, Radius, Perrot, Hayter, Unique Lighting Systems, Irritrol, and Lawn-Boy. Through constant innovation and caring relationships built on trust and integrity, The Toro Company and its brands have built a legacy of excellence by helping customers work on golf courses, sports fields, construction sites, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties and agricultural operations. For more information, visit www.thetorocompany.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210820960/en/ CONTACT: Investor Relations Jeremy Steffan Director, Investor Relations (952) 887-7962,jeremy.steffan@toro.comMedia Relations Branden Happel Senior Manager, Public Relations (952) 887-8930,branden.happel@toro.com KEYWORD: MINNESOTA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RETAIL HOME GOODS MANUFACTURING AGRICULTURE NATURAL RESOURCES MACHINERY SOURCE: The Toro Company Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/10/2024 04:35 PM/DISC: 12/10/2024 04:34 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210820960/en
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Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was quick to celebrate Michigan’s massive recruiting victory on Thursday, but that does not mean he had a direct hand in making it happen. Bryce Underwood, who is the No. 1 overall recruit for the class of 2025, has announced his commitment to the Wolverines. Underwood, who is from Belleville, Mich., had previously been committed to LSU, but the quarterback changed his commitment. Portnoy, who is a Michigan alumnist and fan of the Wolverines, had previously indicated he was prepared to spend millions of dollars to bring his school a top quarterback. Did he do that to help Michigan land Underwood? It doesn’t sound like it. Though Portnoy shared a video on social media boasting about Underwood’s commitment , he later said his role in bringing the quarterback to Ann Arbor was “tiny.” “Im getting tons of credit online for flipping Bryce. While I love credit reality is I played a tiny roll (sic). Rest assured there are Michigan Men + Women out there making things happen behind the scenes. I’ve never been more confident that Mich is poised to dominate in this new world,” Portnoy wrote on X. Im getting tons of credit online for flipping Bryce. While I love credit reality is I played a tiny roll. Rest assured there are Michigan Men + Women out there making things happen behind the scenes. I've never been more confident that Mich is poised to dominate in this new world — Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) November 22, 2024 The 6-foot-4 Underwood is now the highest-rated recruit Michigan has ever landed. Underwood’s high school teammate Elijah Dotson flipped his commitment from Pitt to Michigan earlier this week, which seemed to be a sign of what was to come with Underwood. This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.Friends, colleagues remember former state Rep. Mary Murphy
TORONTO — Canada's main stock index lost more than 100 points Tuesday ahead of an expected interest rate cut Wednesday, while U.S. markets were also down. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 121.09 points at 25,504.33. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 154.10 points at 44,247.83. The S&P 500 index was down 17.94 points at 6,034.91, while the Nasdaq composite was down 49.45 points at 19,687.24. “Relative to the churn we have seen in the markets the last few days ... today being a little bit of a boring day would be fairly welcome for many investors,” said Stephen Duench, vice-president and portfolio manager for AGF Investments Inc. Wednesday is set to be more exciting, with an interest rate cut expected in Canada and important consumer inflation data coming in the U.S. “I do expect a little bit more fireworks tomorrow,” said Duench. The Bank of Canada is widely expected to announce an outsized cut Wednesday of half a percentage point, he said. “Anything other than that would be a surprise.” The U.S. Federal Reserve has its last decision of the year scheduled for next week, and market watchers are leaning toward a smaller quarter-percentage-point cut there, said Duench. It would be the third cut this year after the central bank hiked rates to a two-decade high to fight inflation. The inflation report will be the last significant data point before the central bank’s decision, Duench said. If the inflation report shows price growth is proving more stubborn than expected, that could change the Fed’s thinking on rates next week, he said. “Maybe that's part of the reason we've seen churn in the market the last few days in the U.S.” Beneath the surface, there was some movement in the tech sector, where Oracle sank 6.7 per cent after its latest earnings report missed expectations. Meanwhile, Google's stock price rose by more than five per cent. The company on Tuesday unveiled its new chip meant for quantum computing. Duench said after the advent of artificial technology led a rally earlier this year, quantum computing could be another frontier for investors to keep an eye on. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.59 cents US compared with 70.77 cents US on Monday. The January crude oil contract was up 12 cents at US$68.59 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down two cents at US$3.16 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$32.60 at US$2,718.40 an ounce and the March copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.27 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian PressLOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks’ overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points and Tessa Johnson scored 14 for the Gamecocks, whose road winning streak was third-longest in Division I history. It was the first time UCLA took down a No. 1 team in school history, having been 0-20 in such games. The program's previous best wins were over a couple of No. 2s — Oregon in 2019 and Stanford in 2008. Elina Aarnisalo added 13 points as one of five Bruins in double figures. UCLA (5-0) dominated from start to finish, with the Bruins' suffocating defense preventing the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. South Carolina: The Gamecocks trailed by double-digits at halftime for the first time since Dec. 21, 2021, against Stanford, according to ESPN. Chloe Kitts, who averages a team-leading 14 points, finished the game with 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting. UCLA: The Bruins led 43-22 at halftime. Eight different players scored and contributed to 11-0 and 7-0 runs in the first and second quarters as they shot 52% from the field. The first quarter set the tone for a game in which the Gamecocks never led. They missed their first nine shots and were 4 of 18 from the floor in the quarter. UCLA ran off 11 straight points to take a 20-10 lead into the second quarter. The Bruins dominated the boards, 41-34, and held the Gamecocks well under their scoring average of 80.2 points. South Carolina travels to Florida to meet Iowa State in the Fort Myers Tipoff on Thanksgiving. UCLA travels to the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Hawaii to play UT Martin on Friday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball