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A group of U.S. officials want to know why London’s FTSE Russell, a top financial services firm, chose to include the underperforming Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) in one of its most high-profile indexes. Their concern stems, in part, from the fact that analysts generally do not view TMTG, which owns the presidents social media platform Truth, as particularly stable. Trading under the symbol DJT, shares are down 38% year to date and currently trade at about $17.50. Last fiscal year, the company reported a net loss of $400.9 million And in the most recent quarter, it reported a loss of $20 million. The Russell 3000 tracks the performance of the 3,000-largest publicly traded companies in the United States. While investors can’t buy the index directly, several ETFs or index funds include the Russell 3000. Signed by Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak, fiscal leaders from New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maryland, as well as the comptroller of New York City, the letter expresses concern about TMTGs inclusion in the Russell 3000, which occurred last year. The drop in the company’s share price, negligible revenues and risks that come with the stock are among the issues they raise. “The Russell 3000 is one of the most influential benchmarks in U.S. capital markets, with approximately $10.6 trillion in assets,” the officials write. “Its credibility depends on consistent, transparent, and rigorous standards that ensure its companies reflect the U.S. equity market and meet the expectations of institutional investors and public stewards alike. The continued presence of TMTG in the index raises troubling questions on both financial and governance grounds, as well as on the integrity of the benchmark itself.” London’s FTSE Russell nor TMTG responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. Pieciak’s signature on the letter is notable. Vermont’s Republican Gov. Phil Scott has urged leaders in his state to take a less confrontational posture with the White House. (Notably, Scott rejected two requests this summer to send the Vermont national guard to Washington, D.C., as part of Trump’s federal takeover of the nation’s capital.) In their letter, the officials have asked FTSE Russell to explain TMTG’s inclusion in the Russell 3000. They’ve also asked for an assessment of how the group accounts for the company’s risks and detail on any safeguards in place to ensure that future index picks demonstrate sound market fundamentals. Noting that “two of the last three Trump financial ventures have resulted in significant investor losses,” the letter expresses concerns that people investing in Russell 3000 tracking indexes might not realize they’re buying shares in TMTG. An evolving list The Russell 3000 is an evolving list of companies. On the last Friday of each June, the list is reconstituted to reflect changes in the U.S. equity market. Companies are evaluated to determine where they lie along the investment spectrum from value to growth stocks. FTSE typically looks at the market capitalization of the stock as a bellwether for inclusion. TMTG currently has a market cap of $4.87 billion. That ranks the stock 3099th among publicly traded companies, as of 10 a.m. ET Tuesday. In June of this year, when the list was last reconstituted, shares were about $3.50 higher than they are now, which likely put TMTG within the top 3,000, which could explain its inclusion. In January, on the final day of trading before the presidential inauguration, TMTG boasted a market cap of $8.68 billion as investors flocked to the company before Trump’s second term began.
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E-Commerce
Deloitte Australia will partially refund the 440,000 Australian dollars ($290,000) paid by the Australian government for a report that was littered with apparent AI-generated errors, including a fabricated quote from a federal court judgment and references to nonexistent academic research papers. The financial services firms report to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations was originally published on the department’s website in July. A revised version was published Friday after Chris Rudge, a Sydney University researcher of health and welfare law, said he alerted the media that the report was full of fabricated references. Deloitte had reviewed the 237-page report and confirmed some footnotes and references were incorrect, the department said in a statement Tuesday. Deloitte had agreed to repay the final instalment under its contract, the department said. The amount will be made public after the refund is reimbursed. Asked to comment on the reports inaccuracies, Deloitte told The Associated Press in a statement the matter has been resolved directly with the client. Deloitte did not respond when asked if the errors were generated by AI. A tendency for generative AI systems to fabricate information is known as hallucination. The report reviewed departmental IT systems use of automated penalties in Australia’s welfare system. The department said the substance of the report had been maintained and there were no changes to its recommendations. The revised version included a disclosure that a generative AI language system, Azure OpenAI, was used in writing the report. Quotes attributed to a federal court judge were removed, as well as references to nonexistent reports attributed to law and software engineering experts. Rudge said he found up to 20 errors in the first version of the report. The first error that jumped out at him wrongly stated that Lisa Burton Crawford, a Sydney University professor of public and constitutional law, had written a nonexistent book with a title suggesting it was outside her field of expertise. I instantaneously knew it was either hallucinated by AI or the worlds best kept secret because Id never heard of the book and it sounded preposterous, Rudge said. Work by his academic colleagues had been used as tokens of legitimacy, cited by the reports authors but not read, Rudge said, adding that he considered misquoting a judge was a more serious error in a report that was effectively an audit of the departments legal compliance. Theyve totally misquoted a court case then made up a quotation from a judge and I thought, well hang on: thats actually a bit bigger than academics egos. Thats about misstating the law to the Australian government in a report that they rely on. So I thought it was important to stand up for diligence, Rudge said. Senator Barbara Pocock, the Australian Greens partys spokesperson on the public sector, said Deloitte should refund the entire AU$440,000 ($290,000). Deloitte misused AI and used it very inappropriately: misquoted a judge, used references that are non-existent,” Pocock told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “I mean, the kinds of things that a first-year university student would be in deep trouble for. Rod McGuirk, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Normalizing good urbanism requires culture change, and culture change requires an advocacy long game that makes space for ideas that seem impossible today. Political scientist Joseph Overton developed a concept in the 1990s that had a major influence on my views on and approach to building support for good urbanism. The Overton window refers to the range of ideas that are acceptable or mainstream in public discourse at a given time. The acceptable topics are shaped by public opinion, media coverage, influence of special interest groups, and actions of political leaders. As Joseph Lehman, a colleague of Overtons, put it: Public officials cannot enact any policy they please like theyre ordering dessert from a menu. They have to choose from among policies that are politically acceptable at the time. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"","headline":"Urbanism Speakeasy","description":"Join Andy Boenau as he explores ideas that the infrastructure status quo would rather keep quiet. To learn more, visit urbanismspeakeasy.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.urbanismspeakeasy.com\/","colorTheme":"green","redirectUrl":""}} Ideas that fall within the Overton window are more likely to be discussed and debated in the public sphere, while those that fall outside of it may be considered too extreme or fringe to be given serious consideration. The window shifts over time as public opinion changes, making new ideas acceptable and mainstreaming previously unacceptable ideas. Before the Overton window shifted, these opinions were considered outside the range of allowable opinion: The earth isnt flat, nor is it the center of the universe. Multiple nationalities will be taught in the same classroom. A computer will one day fit on your desk. Tiny germs exist that you cant see with your eyes. Human organs and limbs will be replaced. Art will be created by voice command. Radical departures What Ive learned from the Overton window concept is that people need radical departures from normal scenario planning exercises. If you want to normalize walk-friendly, bike-friendly infrastructure, then you need to start by visualizing wildly different scenarios. When you eventually compromise, youve still made progress. Heres a list of taboo urbanism ideas that might be worth shifting from fringe to mainstream: Zoning abolition If incremental change is the aspirational goal, good luck with legalizing mixed-use neighborhoods. Its been said that zoning is an unnecessary evil, so lead with a proposal to abolish it altogether. Yes In Gods Backyard (YIGBY) Churches could provide short-term housing for the homeless or low-income individuals, free from government oversight. The faith-based community doesnt agree on everything, but they all certainly want to help those in need. 3D-Printed Buildings Promote the use of emerging technology to create homes and retail centers far cheaper than traditional construction. Grant people greater control over their property. Universal Basic Mobility Its like a universal basic income, but for transportation. Several cities have piloted bus and bike subsidies. A radical proposition would be privatized UBM. Off-Grid Living Decriminalize frontier life. Have you ever heard stories of people trying to disassociate from traditional utility services? Or building something without a permit? Local Farming I know youve seen community gardens, but you havent seen people selling their own food, because its not allowed. And if you introduce fresh milk, the ATF will raid the operation. Homesteading Programs that allow individuals to reclaim vacant or blighted properties. This could be a way to turn ordinary homeowners into developers. Asking big What if questions doesnt have to be confrontational, but it will always make some people uncomfortable. Its worth it. Thats how civilizations advance. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"","headline":"Urbanism Speakeasy","description":"Join Andy Boenau as he explores ideas that the infrastructure status quo would rather keep quiet. To learn more, visit urbanismspeakeasy.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.urbanismspeakeasy.com\/","colorTheme":"green","redirectUrl":""}}
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E-Commerce
Being advised to max out your 401(k) is Personal Finance 101. But is that universally solid guidance? Tax-sheltered retirement plans offer the convenience of automatic investments and tax breakspretax contributions and tax-deferred compounding for traditional 401(k)s and tax-free compounding and withdrawals for Roth contributions. But the availability and quality of the 401(k) are also important considerations. Some workers dont have access to an employer-provided retirement plan, and 401(k) quality can be uneven. High administrative costs, meager employer matching contributions, and costly investment lineups can detract from 401(k)s tax-saving features. Meanwhile, the tax efficiency for investors nonretirement accounts has improved over the years. Broad market equity exchange-traded funds have dramatically reduced the tax drag for taxable accountholders, effectively simulating the tax deferral that comes with investing in a 401(k). And many robo-advisors use other techniques to reduce the tax drag on investors taxable accountsspecifically, selling losing positions to offset gainers elsewhere in investors portfolios. That can reduce the capital gains taxes on positions when theyre eventually liquidated. Even as investing in a taxable account has grown more attractive, its a given that investors should put enough in a 401(k)even a poor oneto earn matching contributions. If the 401(k) plan is weak and they have additional retirement assets to invest, they should opt for an IRA in lieu of steering more money to the poor 401(k) plan. Income limits apply to IRA contributions, but anyone can invest in a Roth IRA through the backdoor, provided they have earned income to cover the contribution amount. Multiple factors determine whether a taxable account can beat a 401(k) But what if they have additional retirement assets to invest? Once the IRA is fully funded, would those dollars be better off in a weak 401(k) or in a brokerage account held outside a tax-sheltered account? The answer here, as with so many financial questions, depends on a couple of key factors, especially the following: 401(k) plan quality: How bad is the plan? Does it have high administrative costs and subpar and/or expensive investment options? Or is it simply that the lineup includes some lackluster funds that are past their prime? Comparing your plan to others can help you make that assessment. The quality and tax efficiency of the investments in the taxable accounts: Investing in a taxable account will rarely be the better option unless you can invest in securities that make few ongoing distributions of income, capital gains, or both. The good news is that investors can opt for a brokerage platform that offers a good array of low-cost, tax-efficient optionsnamely, index-tracking ETFs and municipal-bond funds. The investors tax bracket at the time of the contributions: Being able to make pretax contributionsas is the case with traditional 401(k)swill be more valuable to the investor whos in a high tax bracket at the time of that contribution than it will be to the person whos in a lower tax bracket. The tax bracket at the time of withdrawals: Withdrawals from taxable accounts receive more favorable (and flexible) tax treatment than withdrawals from traditional 401(k)s. Investors pulling from their taxable accounts will owe capital gains taxes, whereas money coming out of a traditional 401(k) is taxed at the investors ordinary income tax rate, which is higher. Moreover, because the 401(k) money has never been taxed, investors owe taxes on the entire withdrawal, not just the appreciation; taxable-account investors, by contrast, will only owe tax on their gains. Finally, 401(k) assets are subject to required minimum distributions at age 73. For investors who expect to be in a high tax bracket upon retirement, having assets in a taxable accountand enjoying more favorable taxation on the distributionswill be particularly beneficial. (Of course, Roth 401(k) withdrawals are more favorable still: Roth 401(k) assets can be rolled over to a Roth IRA to avoid RMDs. Better still, qualified withdrawals from Roth 401(k)s and IRAs are tax-free.) Taxable account vs. 401(k) takeaways Investors would do well to weigh their own personal tax situationsboth current and futureas well as the quality of their 401(k)s when determining which account types to fund. Investors can also benefit from tax diversificationsplitting assets across accounts with varying tax treatment, whether tax-deferred, taxable, or Rothwhen saving for retirement. This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning
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E-Commerce
Laura Youngson didn’t expect to focus so much on soccer cleats when she organized a group of women to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and play a high-altitude match.The point of the 2017 game was to highlight inequality in sports for women and girls. On that front, Youngson achieved her goal with the match becoming the subject of a documentary and landing the group in the Guinness Book of World Records.Still, something bothered Youngson as the match unfolded. Glancing at the athletes’ feet, she was struck that all the women were wearing men’s or boy’s soccer cleats instead of gear that was designed specifically for them. The realization led her to launch IDA Sports, which makes soccer cleats for the unique athletic needs of women.“There was this real commercial gap for performance footwear for women,” said Youngson, whose IDA cleats are worn by players including Washington Spirit midfielder Courtney Brown. “As the game is growing, we’re in this moment when everything’s professionalizing, but the footwear wasn’t really keeping pace, so I wanted to go and change that.”IDA is among a growing number of companies founded in recent years to prioritize women in sports.These aren’t just lifestyle or athleisure brands. Moolah Kicks, for instance, makes women’s basketball shoes designed specifically for women’s feet and counts Courtney Williams of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx as one of its partners. Lindsay Housman founded Hettas, a performance running shoe company. Saysh, Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix’s running shoe company, allows buyers to make free exchanges when their size changes during pregnancy.Beyond shoes, Liv Cycling makes performance bicycles for women and there’s even Indiana Fever partner Sequel tampons, which have spiraled grooves that help prevent leaks during strenuous activities.The companies are entering the market at a time when interest in women’s sports is intensifying.The WNBA has shattered attendance records recently, lifted by the star power of players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. National Women’s Soccer League teams are worth 29% more this year than they were a year ago, with both Angel City and the Kansas City Current now valued at over $250 million. Several new pro sports leagues have formed in recent years, including the Professional Women’s Hockey League and the 3-on-3 Unrivaled basketball league. The Women’s Professional Baseball League is set to launch next year.Overall, women’s sports generated global revenue of $1.88 billion in 2024 and is projected to rake in $2.35 billion this year, according to consulting firm Deloitte. Commercial revenue, including sponsorships and merchandising sales, surpassed $1 billion globally for the first time last year. No more ‘shrink it and pink it’ All that growth means more opportunities for women-owned brands and a chance to reject the “shrink it and pink it” mentality in which companies were criticized for taking men’s products and selling them to women by making them pretty rather than functional.“Marketing is all about understanding the needs of consumers,” said Dae Hee Kwak of the Center for Sport Marketing Research at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. “So thinking of the needs of the women’s sports fan and athlete, who understands them better than women, right?”Leela Srinivasan, CEO of the sports marketing and sponsorship platform Parity, said men’s products simply weren’t built for women’s bodies.“Women in motor sports will tell you that even the way the seat belts are designed, they don’t fit right, they don’t fall in the right places,” Srinivasan said. “You talk to Lynn Saint James, the motor sports legend, about how she couldn’t reach the pedals. Nothing has been designed with women’s bodies in mind.”Bonnie Tu, who founded Liv Cycling, experienced that problem with bicycles.“Whenever I’d go for vacation, I would take a bike from the hotel,” Tu said. “Most of the time, I would get myself hurt because the bike doesn’t suit me well. Because most of the bikes are meant for men, no matter if it’s a mountain bike or it’s road bike, it was all for men.”Youngson similarly looked at biomechanical needs when designing cleats for IDA, resulting in a product that features a wider toe box, narrower heel and shorter studs than men’s boots.For those who have spent decades in and around women’s sports, these shifts represent a profound change. Natalie White, who founded Moolah Kicks after playing basketball in college and working on the business side of several WNBA teams, recalled always playing the sport in boy’s and men’s shoes.“It wasn’t until I was a senior in college and I saw an advertisement that had more top WNBA players holding out men’s shoes that it really hit me, ‘Oh, my God, this is crazy.’ When you begin your career, through pro, you’re not only going to be playing in equipment that isn’t fit for you, but you’re going to be promoting it?” White said. “Oh my gosh, crazy.”The bigger shoemakers, including Adidas and Nike, have developed women’s soccer and basketball shoes in recognition of the growing market and the needs of the female athlete. Sabrina Ionescu has a signature shoe with Nike and, this past summer, Adidas released its first player edition of Adidas’ F50 Sparkfusion cleat with NWSL star Trinity Rodman. Women want products without pandering Kwak said that in addition to products made specifically for them, women also value authenticity as consumers. And that means working with women’s leagues, athletes and sometimes causes involving equity and social justice.IDA, for example, has partnered with the players’ unions for both the NWSL and the Gainbridge Super League, a top-tier domestic professional women’s soccer league that launched last year.Coalition Snow, a women-led ski and snowboard company based in Reno, Nevada, not only makes sure of safe and fair working conditions throughout its supply chain, it also uses recycled material for packaging and partners with a nonprofit to plant trees in rural Kenya for every board or pair of skis sold.Liv Cycling sponsors women’s racing teams and competitions, like the Tour de France Femmes, in addition to community clubs. Athlete involvement in the creation of products helps, too. It’s really what personalizes these companies compared to the sporting goods giants.But it’s all about taking that first leap, Youngson said.“As the game grows and professionalizes, it should be attractive to brands,” Youngson said. “So then you’re going, ‘Why aren’t you doing it?’ Because the money’s there, the game’s there. Why can’t we have all of this choice around us in the same way that the men’s game has?” AP Sports Writer Alyce Brown contributed to this report. Anne M. Peterson, AP Sports Writer
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E-Commerce
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