Latest news with #Moody
New York Post
14 hours ago
- New York Post
Hiking influencer Hannah Moody's cause of death revealed after being found dead on Arizona trail
Hiking influencer Hannah Moody's cause of death has been revealed more than a month after she was found dead near an Arizona trail. The 31-year-old, who frequently shared videos of her hiking adventures with her nearly 50,000 Instagram followers, died from environmental heat exposure, according to online records from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. Her death was ruled accidental. Advertisement 4 Hannah Moody's death was ruled an accident after she died from enviornmental heat exposure. Instagram/@itshanrose Moody's lifeless body was found just 600 yards from the Gateway Trailhead parking lot in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve on May 22 — more than a day after she was last seen hiking in the area, the Scottsdale Police Department said at the time. Authorities launched an extensive ground and aerial search for the avid hiker after her concerned friends reported her missing on the evening of May 21 when they didn't hear from her. Advertisement 4 Search and rescue team at a trailhead. KNXV-TV 'I hope that she didn't suffer,' Moody's mom, Teri, told AZFamily. 'I hope that she was unaware of what was happening. It was preventable, which, that's kind of a hard pill to swallow.' The outlet reported that temperatures had reached 102 degrees when Moody set off on the fatal hike. Advertisement 4 Hannah was an experienced hiker who posted on her socials about her outings. The influencer, who also shared content about her faith, is remembered as a free-spirited and loyal friend, a fitness enthusiast and a fierce competitor. 4 Gateway Trailhead sign at McDowell Sonoran Preserve. KNXV-TV Advertisement 'It's still hard to picture what happened and to figure out how she was in those last moments,' her mother told the local outlet, expressing hope that her daughter's tragic death might save a life. 'I'm hoping that it wasn't all for nothing. That if one life is saved because of Hannah, then that's one life that's been saved.'
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Mongols associates sentenced after man beaten, ute stolen
By Al Williams, Open Justice reporter A man invited to the Mongols' pad for a drink was later beaten, had his ute keys taken from him and was forced to sign the vehicle over to the gang. He signed the paperwork under duress after he was told the only alternative was for him to cough up $14,000. This week, the Christchurch District Court heard the man was at Mongols associate Benjamin Moody's house in Christchurch on March 9 last year when Moody suggested they go to the motorcycle gang's clubhouse in Burnham. When the pair arrived around 5pm, former Mongols prospect Steve Graham Taylor was working the bar at the pad. Moody and the man were there until around midnight when they returned to Moody's home. There, the man told Moody he planned to sleep in his ute, to which Moody responded by punching him in the face. Moody told the man to hand over the ute keys, which, fearing he would be assaulted again, he did. Moody left the address before returning shortly after with Taylor. The man tried to leave after being punched again by Moody but Taylor and Moody followed him and told him to take a shower and go to bed. The man complied, and when he woke around 7.30am, he asked Moody for his keys. Moody told him Taylor had taken them and he wasn't getting them back. The man left the address with a friend but went back to Moody's later in the day to try again to retrieve his keys. Moody reiterated the keys would not be returned and told him he had disrespected the 'Mongol Nation'. It was not mentioned in court why Moody believed the man had disrespected the gang. However, Taylor told the man if he spoke to someone at the gang pad, there was a chance he could get his keys back. Taylor and the man travelled to the pad and the man was soon told he had two options: pay the gang $14,000 or sign over his ute. Under pressure, he signed his ute over to the Mongols and was warned not to go to the police. However, following the incident, Moody and Taylor were arrested and Taylor told police the man had willingly signed over the vehicle to pay a debt. Taylor said it was Moody who had assaulted the man. Moody, when speaking with officers, admitted he had assaulted him but said he had nothing to do with taking his ute. In court, Moody faced charges of assault and conversion of a motor vehicle in relation to the incident, and separate charges of reckless driving, failing to stop and driving contrary to an alcohol interlock licence. Taylor was charged with conversion of a motor vehicle, and also faced unrelated charges of possession of an offensive weapon and driving while disqualified. Judge Tom Gilbert described the ute ordeal as a traumatic experience for the man. 'This was a very nasty incident; there could have been a more serious charge,' he said. The court heard the man sustained black eyes, bruising to his nose, face and head, cuts to his lip and the inside of his mouth, scraped knees, bruising and scrapes to his hands, and a bump on the back of his head. Judge Gilbert said Taylor's involvement was less than Moody's and noted Taylor had since left the gang and was an engaged father. He sentenced him to 10 months' home detention while Moody was jailed for 21 months.
Business Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Investing in peak uncertainty: a view across asset classes
MARKETS have entered a new era of turbulence. While US President Donald Trump's tariffs have come down considerably following recent US-China negotiations and a 90-day pause, they are nonetheless still historically high and widely expected both to hurt growth and spur inflation. While a soft landing for the US economy remains our base case, we now see greater chance for a mild recession. The policy response is also uncertain, and the stagflationary nature of the shock means that fiscal and monetary offsets may not arrive soon enough to sidestep a downturn. The US Federal Reserve remains in 'wait and see' mode despite overt pressure from Trump to cut rates. Fed members are indicating that they may stay on hold for longer and be slower to provide rate relief. The recent spike in yields, following Moody's downgrade of the US based on expectations of deteriorating fiscal balances and debt levels, underscores the mounting pressure on policymakers. We expect that entering 2026, the US economy would have slowed and price levels would most likely have adjusted after a one-off spike in inflation, enabling the Fed to be more dovish. Fixed income: diversify, diversify The biggest surprise following recent tariff woes may be how calm the corporate credit markets have been relative to the rates or equity markets. Corporate credit is on a solid foundation heading into a potential slowdown or mild recession, but the overarching issue is arguably whether the US government's actions could more permanently erode confidence in the US financial markets. The selling-off of Treasury bonds may signal a lack of foreign buyer demand and is likely one of the reasons the dollar has weakened. If confidence and trust in the US are permanently damaged, this will have longer-term implications for demand and pricing of US assets and will weigh on future growth expectations from both a macro standpoint and for corporate earnings. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up In an uncertain environment, the bottom line is that investors need to be more diversified across asset classes, industries and geographies. We believe global diversification is especially critical. US credit and its underlying fundamentals have long been viewed as superior, but the differential is shrinking. Because of that and given the current heightened uncertainty, we would not favour being overly weighted to the US. We are now more constructive on the European outlook, as the Trump administration is forcing Europe to rethink its fiscal expenditures on both military and infrastructure, especially in Germany. Europe may also benefit from a kind of forced collaboration on trade issues and spending after the bloc had started to fracture, leading to a more positive outcome down the road despite some short-term pain. Parts of emerging markets (EMs) are also on a solid footing, with the vast majority of EM corporates having fairly minimal exposure to trade to the US. Notably, the banking sector across EMs is generally well-positioned to withstand downside risks in the global economy. While rate cuts have reduced profitability, these cuts factor into a stable economic outlook that supports loan quality and liquidity across the system. We also believe recent volatility shows that Asian US dollar credit may be an interesting alternative to US and European fixed income, particularly in a drawdown environment. Looking ahead, we think valuations are more likely to cheapen than tighten, given the potential for more negative headlines. Buying opportunities in investment-grade credit While we don't believe investment grade (IG) credit is at significant risk from the tariff policies, we think a cautious approach is warranted to help avoid exposure to potential risk and tap potential opportunities. We do not think investors should pile into high-quality assets, but we view the widening of spreads since Apr 2 as a potential buying opportunity for active managers. Autos remain the most exposed among US IG credit sectors to the tariffs' impact, and shifts in sentiment are also likely to hit discretionary consumer cyclicals, such as travel, and retail overall. We believe prospects for the financial and communications sectors are more favourable due to their strong fundamentals and relative immunity from the impact of tariffs. Equities: Focus on companies, not sectors The volatility that has characterized equity markets over the past several years had intensified leading up to Apr 2. We look at companies with a view to identifying mispricing that may indicate their prospects are underappreciated by the market, while assessing risk to ensure quality. We have heard consistently from industrial companies that capex spending by their customers has been on pause since the middle of 2024 as they awaited the US election results. While the hope had been that this uncertainty would lift after the election, we now expect industrial spending to remain on hold. Some strong and positive underlying trends are still supporting industrials, including the resolution of post-Covid de-stocking, which should bring about a reduction in earnings volatility and shifts in funding requirements. Another positive is the rising adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in industrial settings, especially as costs come down. Most industrial companies say they can pass along whatever tariffs are imposed and continue to maintain their profits, which would set the stage for a potential industrial rebound. In healthcare, there are headwinds, however. Pharmaceuticals are one target of the Trump administration for sector-specific tariffs. The market is attempting to price in this headwind to sales and earnings, but while we expect a tariff range of 15 to 25 per cent, clarity is lacking. Also uncertain is whether the rate will apply to lower-value raw materials such as active pharmaceutical ingredients or to the higher-value finished dosage forms. Multi-asset positioning Given the uncertainty, we remain neutral on risk assets and more focused on finding allocations with stronger structural tailwinds for today's new landscape. In equities, European defence stocks face a rejuvenated decade ahead, given the removal of Germany's debt brake and the need to provide the primary layer of defence in the future. As for the US, re-shoring provides stepped-up opportunities over a multi-year period for select industrial stocks. In China, the Internet sector has government support again, and companies are no longer worried about expanding margins and investing in their business. In fixed income, we continue to favour shifting a portion of one's duration exposure to Europe, particularly gilts. We came into this year favouring mostly developed market sovereigns and some Asian high yield. Credit spreads have now widened everywhere, so it's timely to nibble selectively elsewhere. In alternatives, gold was already benefiting from deteriorating economic relationships and rising geopolitical risks. Should the US and China fail to reach a detente, China's next step beyond today's stimulus may be much more aggressive growth in the central bank's balance sheet, which would support global M2 outpacing global nominal gross domestic product – gold's true propellant. In this era of peak uncertainty, we believe investors should seek thoughtful active management that takes a longer-term view while also remaining watchful for volatility-driven opportunities. Steven Oh is global head of credit and fixed income; Michael Kelly is global head of multi-asset. With assistance from Rob Hinchliffe, head of global sector cluster research. They are with Pinebridge Investments.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Entrepreneur and investor Gary Vee's top tips on using and embracing AI
The future of AI can be both exciting and intimidating. While some have been making the most of AI to automate tasks and make work more efficient, others are apprehensive—or even scared that it will take their job one day. But fear and ignoring AI is not the right approach to take, according to entrepreneur, investor, and cofounder of the restaurant reservation service Resy, Gary Vaynerchuk (also known as Gary 'Vee'). 'I think there's a lot to this and the technology is profound,' Vaynerchuk, who has invested in Facebook, Twitter, and Uber, said on a recent episode of The Liz Moody Podcast. 'If you're actually scared, what I definitely tell you that you shouldn't do is hang around and drink beers and complain about it.' Vaynerchuk said that the most vulnerable to AI are likely those who don't pull from their own creativity, and instead do work based on explicit instructions. For example, a graphic designer who is an 'order taker.' 'You don't come up with a creative idea, your boss does—well, then you're dead,' Vaynerchuk said. 'But if you've got an idea, you're creative and strategic, you've got time.' 'Learn a new skill. Apply for a new job. Figure it out,' he added. The entrepreneur pointed out that this isn't the first time in history when humans have had to adapt to significant technological shifts. 'Did we not learn from calculators or the internet? We go through this every time,' he said. 'When the tractor was invented, 80% plus of society worked on farms, and a lot of people sat around on farms…and said this tractor is going to take our jobs—and we got new jobs.' Vaynerchuk told Moody that embracing AI to help you be more efficient is the best approach—and exactly what he does. He uses tools like ChatGPT as his 'strategy thinker,' rather than a tool for creation. He explained that he recently prompted ChatGPT for indications on social media or pop culture that the 'clean shaven look during the height of the Friends era' could reemerge. Vaynerchuk went back and forth with the chatbot for 30 minutes to see if this is a potential cultural shift that he could get ahead of as an investor. 'From an investment standpoint and from a marketing standpoint, I want to think about how Gillette needs to think about things,' Vaynerchuk said. 'Do I want to invest in the next Dollar Shave Club or not? Is there something to be had?' Going forward, Vaynerchuk plans to encourage his employees at VaynerX to capitalize on AI and optimize their efficiency. He told Moody he's holding a companywide meeting outlining those expectations to make AI more a part of their work. 'Not because I need you to work more. I want you to work less if you want—you can work three hours instead of nine, but you need to AI the f–k out of that,' he said. For more on AI: The reality of AI's promise to curb older adults' loneliness OpenAI CEO says his kids will 'never be smarter than AI'— and that his parenting style relies on ChatGPT A.I. might actually help us find a greater sense of purpose at work This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
I want to lease an EV, then buy it out. How do I get the best deal?
A lot of car companies are offering substantial rebates if you lease an electric vehicle. I've never leased a car before and would probably want to buy it out as soon as possible after signing the lease. Which lease terms should I focus on in order to get me the best and quickest buyout? The classic car-buying wisdom from personal finance pros is to buy a used car and then drive it into the ground. But the COVID pandemic upended the used-car market, and those prices have only just begun to stabilize. Many dealerships are offering appealing deals on EV leases right now, so it makes sense to compare and see whether the math works out in your favor. It seems like you're trying to get the best of both worlds: a substantial discount on a lease and then a quick buyout so you own the vehicle outright. But I spoke to some experts who say you might be thinking about this the wrong way. There are a few reasons you can get such a good deal leasing an EV right now, Barry said. The first one is the tax credits. An EV lease tax credit 'loophole' was written into the Inflation Reduction Act that allowed automakers to claim the $7,500 federal credit for leased cars that wouldn't qualify for it otherwise, including some plug-in hybrids. With leases, the dealer will typically claim it on the buyer's behalf and take it off the price of the car. If you want to take advantage of that rebate, you should hurry: It's on the chopping block in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill.' Another reason for the attractive offers: In general, Barry said, dealerships like leases because so-called off-lease cars — those returned after the lease period expires — give them a stable supply of well-maintained low-mileage used cars to offer for sale. Electric cars can be expensive to buy outright, so good lease deals move metal and take the edge off the sticker shock for a new car. And some people who've bought or leased EVs in the past few years as the market has grown have decided they don't like driving them for one reason or another, which means more used models are on the market, leading dealers to offer better lease incentives to make new models more attractive. So, yes, you should try and get a good deal on your lease, and there are plenty out there. But there's no need to buy it out right away. When you are negotiating a car lease, there are a few terms you can haggle over. There's the down payment, the monthly cost, your allotted yearly miles, maintenance and residual value — the price you'll pay to buy out the car. Of these things, residual value will have the least wiggle room, Moody said. Those prices are often set by the manufacturer or the dealership's financing department. If you are getting a car with a three-year lease term, look at identical models from 2022 and see what they're selling for now to get a ballpark idea of what your car might be worth when your lease is up. Put as little money down as possible, Barry recommended, and find a monthly number that fits your budget. Moody said negotiating additional miles upfront will make them a lot cheaper than having to pay after you've driven them. Your lease will spell out the overage penalty, which usually falls in the ballpark of 15-50 cents per mile over the average annual allowance of around 12,000 miles. That works out to $750-$2,500 in fees if you went over by 5,000 miles. Some dealerships will throw in things like oil changes and even car washes, which are nice perks. Some ways to learn more: Leasehackr's Rate Findr tool, available with a monthly subscription, lets you look up crowdsourced data on residual values, financing rates and other terms to make sure the deal you're getting is competitive. Kelley Blue Book offers a free lease calculator to see what cars are in your price range and compare monthly prices to buying. All three experts recommended negotiating a deal you're happy with, and then riding out the length of the lease and deciding at the end whether it's a car you really want to keep forever. If you buy out the car, it's entirely possible the technology will advance further, Barry said, and you could be hypothetically stuck with a 3-year-old car you can't sell because every newer car has a better range. You might also learn you don't like driving an electric vehicle. Some people don't enjoy the way the acceleration and braking feel. And some people think they'll have enough access to a charger, and then they have to move or change jobs, and suddenly they don't. Let the car dealership take on those risks while you do an extended test drive before committing for the life of the car. If you've got the principal to buy it burning a hole in your pocket, stick it in a high-yield savings account. When your lease is up, if you decide you like the car, compare the buyout cost with what identical models are going for on the used market. You might have a great deal sitting in your driveway, or you might be able to offload it back to the dealership and get the same car for a lot cheaper somewhere else. Leasing gives you that flexibility.
