lodigame 3 download

Artificial intelligence software maker ( ) on Monday reported a smaller-than-expected fiscal second-quarter loss while revenue topped estimates. Updated guidance for C3.ai stock came in above expectations. The software maker of artificial intelligence software reported October-quarter earnings after the market close. In fiscal Q2, C3.ai said it lost 6 cents per share on an adjusted basis. That compared with a 13-cent loss a year earlier. Revenue rose 29% to $94.3 million. Wall Street analysts polled by FactSet had predicted a loss of 16 cents a share on revenue of $91 million. For the current quarter ending in January, the company predicted revenue of $98.5 million at the midpoint of guidance. Further, analysts projected revenue of $97.4 million. The software maker helps companies build artificial intelligence applications, and targets the energy, financial services and defense markets. But it hasn't disclosed pricing for new generative AI products. On the , C3.ai stock jumped more than 16% to 48.60. AI stock had advanced 44% in 2024 ahead of the C3.ai earnings report. C3.ai has told analysts it expects revenue growth to reaccelerate as more AI pilot projects ramp up into commercial production. It recently announced an expanded partnership with ( ). Meanwhile, C3.ai stock is one of many AI names to watch. Also, C3.ai is transitioning to consumption priced services. Also, C3.ai stock had a Relative Strength Rating of 93 out of a best-possible 99 heading into the earnings report, according to .
Megacaps such as ( ), ( ), ( ) and ( ) trade at hefty prices and have had a massive run this year. But looking just at last week on , small caps have been gathering speed. The small-cap Russell 2000 index scored a strong weekly gain of 4.5%, leaving big megacaps far behind. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 posted just a 1.7% increase. That makes it worthwhile to cast our investing net beyond the biggest leaders. In the growth IBD 50 list, lesser-known small-cap biotech stock ( ) has been quietly making its way to a new high and shows two clear signals of market outperformance: an ideal and a rising . GeneDx Holdings is Monday's selection for . GeneDx started the year as a cheap stock, trading at less than 3 per share on Jan. 2. Shares have skyrocketed since. Investor's Business Daily labels stocks that trade at less than $10 per share "cheap" and usually not good investment choices. But some of these low-priced stocks come with strong fundamental and technical ratings that eventually push the stock price to double digits. GeneDx is one of the former ultracheap stocks that have outstanding marks for technical strength, combined with strong fundamental performance. Biotech Stock Soars 50% On Earnings The weekly chart shows truly impressive action: The stock did not break the even once after it cleared that level in December, following its November 2023 low of 1.16. From that low, the stock is up 6,685% as of Friday's closing price of 78.71. Year to date, the once-cheap stock has gained 2,762%. That kind of continuous bullish action could make a and way past a or even . But an earnings gap-up on Oct. 29 could provide an aggressive entry. The biotech stock soared 50% that day and is now trying to build a base with a possible buy point of 89.11. Third quarter revenue grew 44% to $76.9 million while earnings of 4 cents per share reversed a loss of 82 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. For the full year, the company increased its revenue guidance at the midpoint to $287 million from $260 million. A second-quarter loss weighs on the stock's , which is just 74. But the is the best possible 99. A rising adds a strong bullish touch to the chart as well. The is 90 out of 99. GeneDX provides genetic testing services in patients with symptoms such as slow mental development that suggest a disorder in the "energy factories" of human cells, or the mitochondria. The biotech company also applies genome sequencing using genetic data for diagnosing pediatric epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder. More funds have been net buyers of the stock over the past three quarters. The stock also holds an of B+.NoneCHILD helplines are invaluable, offering a lifeline to abused children to seek help and rescue. Trained call counsellors can also offer guidance on a variety of issues, including family problems, peer relationships, psycho- social health, etc. In addition, they offer data that can inform policy and practice. The 15999 Childline was started in 2010 by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry with the aid of Childline Foundation, Malaysia. This first child helpline was a free, 24-hour helpline for children, manned by trained staff and was called the Talian Nur hotline for children.
Missouri coach Dennis Gates will be coaching against the University of California, his alma mater, for the first time as a head coach. Gates spent four seasons at Cal from 1998-2002, where he was a two-time first-team All-Academic selection in the Pac-10 and was a part of the 2002 NCAA Tournament team. In his senior season, Gates averaged 5.6 points, 2.5 assists and two rebounds a game. "I've made some great relationships and met some great people that I still keep in contact with," Gates said. "I'm thankful for what that institution gave me and the people that I met, what they gave me at the age of 18 through the age of 22." The Golden Bears enter Tuesday's matchup 6-1; their only loss was an 85-69 defeat in Nashville against Vanderbilt. California is led by coach Mark Madsen, who spent nine years in the NBA with the Lakers and Timberwolves. The California native won two NBA championships with the Lakers. After his playing days, Madsen spent six years as an assistant coach before taking the head job at Utah Valley in 2019. The Wolverines won a program record 28 wins in 2022-2023, leading Madsen to the California job. Cal came into the season with the 12th-best transfer class in the country, with 10 of their 11 scholarship players being transfers. Andrej Stojaković, the eldest son of former NBA star Peja Stojaković, is Cal’s leading scorer, averaging 17.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Stojakovic spent his freshman year at Stanford before transferring to Cal this season. Caleb Grill Update Caleb Grill was released from the hospital Wednesday night after suffering a neck injury in the Tigers' 81-61 win over Lindenwood. Grill was going up for a rebound before his neck snapped back, and he landed hard on the ground. He was tended to for several minutes before he was stretchered off the court with 10:16 remaining in the first half. In Gates' press conference Monday, he said that Grill will be out against Cal and be considered day-to-day, leaving the door open for the graduate guard to suit up against No. 1 Kansas on Sunday. "He spent the majority of the time in the hospital watching his team play on his phone," Gates said. "It was about 2 am when he called and said, 'Coach, I'm good to go. I'm sitting here jogging in place.'" NET Rankings released The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings were released Monday and ranked Missouri 46th in the nation. The rankings are used around the time of the NCAA tournament to help determine the quality of teams and wins. Quad one, two, three, and four wins are all determined by the NET. The SEC has 10 of its 16 teams in the top 50 of the rankings.The United Nations Special Envoy on Water has said constructive action to ensure sustainable soil and water management should be a high political priority for all member states. Retno Marsudi, a former Indonesian foreign minister and the UN's newly appointed special envoy on water, was in Bangkok on Monday as a key speaker at the International Soil and Water Forum. The event was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, with the aim of raising discussions between agencies on how to manage these two natural resources to ensure food security and sustainability. According to Ms Retno, 70% of freshwater worldwide is used in agriculture. Thus, she said, it is feared that people around the globe could be facing water scarcity by 2050 when the world's population has increased and requires more water withdrawals in agricultural production. She said such a development would hit developing countries the hardest as 80% of their population's livelihood depends on water because agriculture is their main employment sector. She noted that water stress would leave 170 million people in low-income countries undernourished. "Soon after, it will hit the developed countries," she added. Ms Retno said urgent action is needed, but the effort must be considered an investment in the future, not a burden. She said that knowledge to boost agricultural efficiency, including technology and AI, must be available to all. "We need concrete deliverables and to take action now," she said. Narumon Pinyosinwat, Thailand's agriculture and cooperatives minister, said that soil and water are the foundation of the agricultural system and biodiversity. However, natural threats and human activities have contributed to a decrease in soil fertility, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, and increasing vulnerabilities to natural disasters. "We must recognise that no single country or organisation can address these issues alone as these problems require global and multidisciplinary approaches," she added.
Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio State
ATLANTA (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Energy will make a $6.6 billion loan to Rivian Automotive to build a factory in Georgia that had stalled as the startup electric vehicle maker struggled to become profitable. It's unclear whether the administration can complete the loan before Donald Trump becomes president again in less than two months, or whether the Trump administration might try to claw the money back. Trump previously vowed to end federal electric vehicle tax credits , which are worth up to $7,500 for new zero-emission vehicles and $4,000 for used ones. Rivian made a splash when it went public and began producing large electric R1 SUVs, pickup trucks and delivery vans at a former Mitsubishi factory in Normal, Illinois, in 2021. Months later, the California-based company announced it would build a second, larger, $5 billion plant about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Atlanta, near the town of Social Circle. The R1 vehicles cost $70,000 or more. The company plans to produce R2 vehicles, a smaller SUV, in Georgia with lower price tags aimed at a mass market. The first phase of Rivian’s Georgia factory is projected to make 200,000 vehicles a year, with a second phase capable of another 200,000 a year. Eventually, the plant is projected to employ 7,500 workers. But Rivian was unable to meet production and sales targets and rapidly burned through cash. In March, the company said it would pause construction of the Georgia plant. The company said it would begin assembling its R2 SUV in Illinois instead. CEO RJ Scaringe said the move would allow Rivian to start selling the R2 sooner and save $2.25 billion in capital spending. Since then, German automaker Volkswagen AG said in June it would invest $5 billion in Rivian in a joint venture in which Rivian would share software and electrical technology with Volkswagen. The money eased Rivian's cash crunch. Tuesday's announcement throws a lifeline to Rivian's grander plans. The company said its plans to make the R2 and the smaller R3 in Georgia are back on and that production will begin in 2028. “This loan would enable Rivian to more aggressively scale our U.S. manufacturing footprint for our competitively priced R2 and R3 vehicles that emphasize both capability and affordability,” Scaringe said in a statement. The Energy Department said the loan would substantially boost electric vehicles made in the United States and support Biden’s goal of having zero-emission vehicles make up half of all new U.S. sales by 2030. “As one of a few American EV startups with light duty vehicles already on the road, Rivian’s Georgia facility will allow the company to reach production volumes that make its products more cost competitive and accelerate access to international markets,” the department said in a statement. The loan includes $6 billion, plus $600 million in interest that will be rolled into the principal. The money would come from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans to make fuel-efficient vehicles and components. The program has focused mostly on loans to new battery factories for electric vehicles under Biden, but earlier helped finance initial production of the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf, two pioneering electric vehicles. The loan program, created in 2007, requires a "reasonable prospect of repayment" of the loan. Under Biden, the program has announced deals totaling $33.3 billion, including $9.2 billion for massive battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky for Ford’s electric vehicles. Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff , who has been a vocal supporter of electric vehicle and solar manufacturing in Georgia, hailed Tuesday's announcement as “yet another historic federal investment in Georgia electric vehicle manufacturing.” Ossoff had asked Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to support the loan in July. “Our federal manufacturing incentives are driving economic development across the state of Georgia,” Ossoff said in a statement. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says his goal is to make Georgia a center of the electric vehicle industry. But the Republican has had a strained relationship with the Biden administration over its industrial policy, even as some studies have found Georgia has netted more electric vehicle investment than any other state. Kemp has long claimed that manufacturers were picking Georgia before Biden's signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, was passed. Efforts to bring Rivian to Georgia predated the Biden administration and "our shared vision to bring opportunity to Georgia will remain no matter who resides in the White House or what party controls Congress,” Kemp spokesperson Garrison Douglas said Tuesday. The loan to Rivian could rescue one of the Kemp administration's signature economic development projects even as Biden leaves office. That could put Rivian and Kemp in the position of defending the loan if Trump tries to quash it. State and local governments offered Rivian an incentive package worth an estimated $1.5 billion in 2022. Neighbors opposed to development of the Georgia site mounted legal challenges. State and local governments spent around $125 million to buy and prepare the nearly 2,000-acre (810-hectare) site. The state also has completed most of $50 million in roadwork that it pledged. The pause at Rivian contrasts with rapid construction at Hyundai Motor Group’s $7.6 billion electric vehicle and battery complex near Savannah. The Korean automaker said in October that it had begun production in Ellabell, where it plans to eventually employ 8,500. Associated Press writer Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this story.
NoneClorox Co. stock rises Friday, still underperforms market
NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #282 (Tuesday, December 10 2024)Preview: PSV Eindhoven vs. Groningen - prediction, team news, lineupsSome Alabama football fans are already looking toward next season, especially at quarterback. Jalen Milroe is expected by most NFL Draft pundits to enter the 2025 draft. He is viewed by most experts as the second or third best signal-caller in the class. Milroe has three more interceptions (9 to 6) this year than he had in 2023; however, some media personalities feel NFL teams will fall in love with him. If he pursues the draft or enters the NCAA transfer portal, a former five-star is very ‘hopeful’ that he commands the Crimson Tide’s offense as the starting quarterback next season. Ty Simpson , a redshirt sophomore from Martin, Tenn., is in his third year with Alabama. He came in the 2022 recruiting class after a successful high school career. The former Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Tennessee is the son of a college coach. Simpson is a football junkie that wants a chance to lead the Tide’s program to a CFP national title. He was interviewed by Roger Hoover of Crimson Tide Sports Network on Monday. Simpson believes his calling in his coaching after his playing career, but he feels next spring begins his moment at Alabama. “Hopefully next year that will be my job to be the guy and know the next guy is ready [as the backup],” Simpson said. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder is more of a pure passer than Milroe is. Simpson also has escapability and athleticism with his legs to create and extend plays. Alabama fans saw his abilities in the Mercer matchup when he avoided a sack, scrambled to his right, and delivered an 43-yard opportunity downfield to give tight end Josh Cuevas a chance. Simpson came into the South Florida game in 2023 and helped pull the Tide to a 17-3 victory on the road. He has completed 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards and totaled a rushing touchdown. Simpson is more than just a capable quarterback, but he sees himself as a marquee leader on the team. “Certainly, especially since coming back [for 2024],” Simpson said to Hoover about his leadership during Saban’s retirement announcement in January. “In this day and age, a lot of people would have probably left, especially with the circumstances that I had. But being here when Coach [Saban] left and being here for three years — in my class, you’ve got guys like Tyler Booker, Jihaad Campbell, Kendrick Law, Jamarion Miller — guys like that that are big time playmakers for us and vocal leaders in the locker room. And me being a quarterback and an older guy as well, my voice is just as much important as theirs, and just as heard as much as theirs. I think it’s a job of mine — even though I don’t play — that these guys know the standard and know how we do things around here.” Simpson has the same mental makeup as Mac Jones. Jones, a former Alabama standout, came as a three-star in the Crimson Tide’s highly regarded 2017 signing class from Jacksonville, Fla. He came in the same class as Tua Tagovailoa, a former five-star, and shared a quarterback room with Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Jones did not back away from the competition, but he allowed it to grow him as a leader. He took his moment when Tagovailoa got hurt in 2019 and ran with it. Some thought Jones should not have been the starter in 2020; however, he was exactly what the Tide needed. Jones took Alabama in a Coronavirus shortened season and guided it to a CFP National Championship with a SEC-only schedule. Simpson has that competitive drive mixed with a talented passing ability. It will be interesting to see if he pulls out the starting job, beginning with next spring. This article first appeared on Touchdown Alabama Magazine and was syndicated with permission.
Indiana got what it wanted Tuesday night in a 97-71 rout of Sam Houston State -- a lopsided victory where its bench played well and it didn't have to go down to the wire. The Hoosiers will look for more of the same Friday night in Bloomington when they continue their homestand against nonconference foe Miami (Ohio). Four players scored in double figures for Indiana (6-2) against the Bearkats, including 18 from reserve Luke Goode. The Illinois transfer hit four 3-pointers in less than four minutes of the first half, enabling the Hoosiers to take a 34-12 lead. Led by Goode, Indiana's bench contributed a whopping 36 points. "I thought it was a total team effort on everybody's part," Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson said. "Helps when your bench come off and play the way they did. Goode was fantastic but everybody off the bench played well." Indiana also got an encouraging 19-point performance from point guard Myles Rice, who struggled a bit in the first seven games in terms of making shots and running the offense. Rice (11.1 ppg) is one of four double-figure scorers in an attack led by Mackenzie Mgbako (16.8). Meanwhile, the RedHawks (5-2) are coming off a 73-60 home win Monday against Air Force. Bellarmine transfer Peter Suder poured in a career-high 42 points on 17-of-21 shooting, the highest-scoring game in program history since Wally Szczerbiak scored 43 in 1999. Suder, who averaged 10.5 ppg as a sophomore last season, is up to 17.4 ppg this season. He's hitting 58.8 percent of his field goals while also chipping in 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals. "I always say players win games, man. Coaches lose games," Miami coach Travis Steele told the Journal-News. "Peter was phenomenal. It was just get out of the way and just let him go." Forward Kam Craft, who Steele landed out of high school when he was still coaching at Xavier, is the RedHawks' second-leading scorer at 14.1 ppg. The Hoosiers have won 22 of the previous 25 meetings, including an 86-56 rout two years ago in Indianapolis. --Field Level MediaMcConnell Blasts Judges Who Reversed Retirement Post-Trump Win - Bloomberg Law
As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.NEW YORK (AP) — A slide for market superstar Nvidia on Monday knocked Wall Street off its big rally and helped drag U.S. stock indexes down from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, coming off its 57th all-time high of the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 240 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite pulled back 0.6% from its own record. Nvidia’s fall of 2.5% was by far the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after China said it’s investigating the company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. Nvidia has skyrocketed to become one of Wall Street’s most valuable companies because its chips are driving much of the world’s move into artificial-intelligence technology. That gives its stock’s movements more sway on the S&P 500 than nearly every other. Nvidia’s drop overshadowed gains in Hong Kong and for Chinese stocks trading in the United States on hopes that China will deliver more stimulus for the world’s second-largest economy. Roughly three in seven of the stocks in the S&P 500 also rose. The week’s highlight for Wall Street will arrive midweek when the latest updates on inflation arrive. Economists expect Wednesday’s report to show the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling remained stuck at close to the same level last month. A separate report on Thursday, meanwhile, could show an acceleration in inflation at the wholesale level. They’re the last big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week on interest rates. The widespread expectation is still that the central bank will cut its main interest rate for the third time this year. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set so many all-time highs this year. “Investors should enjoy this rally while it lasts—there’s little on the horizon to disrupt the momentum through year-end,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, though he warns stocks could stumble soon because of how overheated they’ve gotten. On Wall Street, Interpublic Group rose 3.6% after rival Omnicom said it would buy the marketing and communications firm in an all-stock deal. The pair had a combined revenue of $25.6 billion last year. Omnicom, meanwhile, sank 10.2%. Macy’s climbed 1.8% after an activist investor, Barington Capital Group, called on the retailer to buy back at least $2 billion of its own stock over the next three years and make other moves to help boost its stock price. Super Micro Computer rose 0.5% after saying it got an extension that will keep its stock listed on the Nasdaq through Feb. 25, as it works to file its delayed annual report and other required financial statements. Earlier this month, the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company’s board following the resignation of its public auditor . All told, the S&P 500 fell 37.42 points to 6,052.85. The Dow dipped 240.59 to 4,401.93, and the Nasdaq composite lost 123.08 to 19,736.69. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rallied 1.7% to settle at $68.37 following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, who sought asylum in Moscow after rebels. Brent crude, the international standard, added 1.4% to $72.14 per barrel. The price of gold also rose 1% to $2,685.80 per ounce amid the uncertainty created by the end of the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. In stock markets abroad, the Hang Seng jumped 2.8% in Hong Kong after top Chinese leaders agreed on a “moderately loose” monetary policy for the world’s second-largest economy. That’s a shift away from a more cautious, “prudent” stance for the first time in 10 years. A major planning meeting later this week could also bring more stimulus for the Chinese economy. U.S.-listed stocks of several Chinese companies climbed, including a 12.4% jump for electric-vehicle company Nio and a 7.4% rise for Alibaba Group. Stocks in Shanghai, though, were roughly flat. In Seoul, South Korea’s Kospi slumped 2.8% as the fallout continues from President Yoon Suk Yeol ’s brief declaration of martial law last week in the midst of a budget dispute. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.19% from 4.15% late Friday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.North Dakota lawmakers gather for day 1 of organizational session
Stock market today: Nvidia drags Wall Street from its records as oil and gold riseOTTAWA - The Métis National Council says it has elected a new president after months of turmoil that saw the once-united organization splinter and have its legitimacy questioned. In a news release, the council announced Victoria Pruden will be its new president, replacing Cassidy Caron, whose term expired in September. The Métis National Council has been in a state of flux after the Manitoba Métis Federation pulled out of the organization in 2021, followed by the recent departures of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and the Métis Nation of British Columbia. It’s unclear who was heading the council before the election, and the only two remaining members are the Métis Nation of Alberta and the Métis Nation of Ontario. The Métis National Council says Pruden will work toward advancing the rights and aspirations of Métis across the homeland. It adds the council will continue to fulfil the vision of its ancestors while paving the way for future generations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024.
NEW YORK (AP) — A slide for market superstar Nvidia on Monday knocked Wall Street off its big rally and helped drag U.S. stock indexes down from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, coming off its 57th all-time high of the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 240 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite pulled back 0.6% from its own record. Nvidia’s fall of 2.5% was by far the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after China said it’s investigating the company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. Nvidia has skyrocketed to become one of Wall Street’s most valuable companies because its chips are driving much of the world’s move into artificial-intelligence technology. That gives its stock’s movements more sway on the S&P 500 than nearly every other. Nvidia’s drop overshadowed gains in Hong Kong and for Chinese stocks trading in the United States on hopes that China will deliver more stimulus for the world’s second-largest economy. Roughly three in seven of the stocks in the S&P 500 also rose. The week’s highlight for Wall Street will arrive midweek when the latest updates on inflation arrive. Economists expect Wednesday’s report to show the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling remained stuck at close to the same level last month. A separate report on Thursday, meanwhile, could show an acceleration in inflation at the wholesale level. They’re the last big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week on interest rates. The widespread expectation is still that the central bank will cut its main interest rate for the third time this year. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set so many all-time highs this year. “Investors should enjoy this rally while it lasts—there’s little on the horizon to disrupt the momentum through year-end,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, though he warns stocks could stumble soon because of how overheated they’ve gotten. On Wall Street, Interpublic Group rose 3.6% after rival Omnicom said it would buy the marketing and communications firm in an all-stock deal. The pair had a combined revenue of $25.6 billion last year. Omnicom, meanwhile, sank 10.2%. Macy’s climbed 1.8% after an activist investor, Barington Capital Group, called on the retailer to buy back at least $2 billion of its own stock over the next three years and make other moves to help boost its stock price. Super Micro Computer rose 0.5% after saying it got an extension that will keep its stock listed on the Nasdaq through Feb. 25, as it works to file its delayed annual report and other required financial statements. Earlier this month, the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company’s board following the resignation of its public auditor . All told, the S&P 500 fell 37.42 points to 6,052.85. The Dow dipped 240.59 to 4,401.93, and the Nasdaq composite lost 123.08 to 19,736.69. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rallied 1.7% to settle at $68.37 following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, who sought asylum in Moscow after rebels. Brent crude, the international standard, added 1.4% to $72.14 per barrel. The price of gold also rose 1% to $2,685.80 per ounce amid the uncertainty created by the end of the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. In stock markets abroad, the Hang Seng jumped 2.8% in Hong Kong after top Chinese leaders agreed on a “moderately loose” monetary policy for the world’s second-largest economy. That’s a shift away from a more cautious, “prudent” stance for the first time in 10 years. A major planning meeting later this week could also bring more stimulus for the Chinese economy. U.S.-listed stocks of several Chinese companies climbed, including a 12.4% jump for electric-vehicle company Nio and a 7.4% rise for Alibaba Group. Stocks in Shanghai, though, were roughly flat. In Seoul, South Korea’s Kospi slumped 2.8% as the fallout continues from President Yoon Suk Yeol ’s brief declaration of martial law last week in the midst of a budget dispute. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.19% from 4.15% late Friday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.Ready for Delivery of Liquefied CO2 Carrier “NORTHERN PIONEER” to Northern Lights
Indiana encouraged by 'total team effort' with Miami (OH) up next
DeSantis appointee says he won't help his elected replacement take officeNoneCentral Valley wins first state championship with 52-12 win over Riverside
S&P/TSX composite down Monday, U.S. markets also move lower
Previous: lodigame 291 withdrawal
Next: lodigame 4 com