Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Thursday, 5:17 AM

October 31, 2024

Good morning news friend! Stay up to date with the latest developments, following the shifting landscape of events around you. 📰🌟

Consumer Spending Boosts GDP

The US economy (GDP) grew at a 2.8% annual rate in the third quarter of 2024. A decrease from the 3% growth in the prior quarter.

Consumer spending surged at a 3.7% annual rate, up from 2.8% earlier in the year. Exports increased by 8.9% and business investment in equipment rose by 11.1%.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index climbed just 1.5%, down from 2.5% in the previous quarter. Core PCE inflation was at 2.2%, a drop from 2.8%.

Personal income increased by $221.3 billion, while the saving rate fell to 4.8%. The trade deficit widened and inventory accumulation slowed, subtracting 0.17 percentage points from GDP.

Source: Read More

SpaceX Gets Into Spy Game

Last month, the Pentagon was able to use lasers for secure data transmission between military satellites. This improves tracking of enemy missiles and potential interception.

Over the past year, SpaceX has entered the military and spy satellite market. This industry was previously dominated by companies like Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.

The Pentagon plans to invest billions in SpaceX for new low-earth-orbit satellite constellations. This initiative responds to China’s increasing capabilities in space-based military systems.

Pentagon officials expressed concerns over Elon Musk's frequent conversations with Vladimir Putin since 2022. Reports indicate that Putin requested Musk not to provide Starlink internet to Taiwan.

Source: Read More

Microsoft Surges Ahead 

Microsoft’s reported revenue rose 16% to $65.6 billion, while profit increased by 11% to $24.7 billion, or $3.30 per share. Analysts had anticipated lower figures of $64.5 billion in revenue and $3.10 in earnings per share.

Azure, Microsoft’s cloud service, saw revenue climbing 33%. AI contributed 12 percentage points to this growth.

The productivity business, including Office software, added $28.3 billion, a 12% rise. Personal computing revenue, driven by Windows and tablets, reached $13.2 billion, up 17%.

Microsoft spent $20 billion in AI in the quarter alone. Capital expenditures rose 5.3% from the previous quarter.

Source: Read More

Court Decisions Shape Election Landscape

As of now, 199 voting-related cases are pending across 40 states. In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a judge extended mail-in ballot requests through Friday, siding with the Trump campaign. The ruling came after voters were turned away during early voting.

Additionally, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that mail-in ballots without a handwritten date must be counted.

In Virginia, the US Supreme Court allowed the removal of 1,600 alleged noncitizens from voter rolls, despite the risk of removing eligible voters.

In Nevada, the Supreme Court ruled to count ballots arriving up to three days post-election, while a federal appeals court in Mississippi has restricted late ballots, leaving uncertainty about their acceptance.

Source: Read More

A New Dawn for Three Mile Island

Three Mile Island, the site of the worst nuclear accident in US history in 1979, is set for a revival. Constellation Energy plans to restart one of its reactors, which it shut down in 2019.

Microsoft committed to purchasing all the electricity generated by the plant for 20 years, starting in 2028.

Once viewed with skepticism, nuclear power now offers a viable solution to generate large amounts of electricity without carbon emissions.

This initiative aims to address the rising electricity demand from homes, businesses, and data centers.

Source: Read More

“We tend to be most motivated to help those who need us the least.”

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️