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Why Apple wants its employees BTW ASAP

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Apple Park

While many are enjoying the perks of working from home, Apple employees are angry about a memo from the CEO asking them to return to work.

While office workers around the world haver been getting by the last year on Zoom meetings from the lounge room, the tech giant is trying to get employees back to Apple park on set days.

Apple workers would still be able to work from home on Wednesdays and Fridays though.

Apple Park is a massive new complex housing thousands of employees

But many are unhappy with the announcement, responding in an internal letter that they would like more flexibility.

They want those who like working remote to be allowed to do so.

Benefits of Working From Home

When COVID-19 forced companies all over the world to send their employees home to work virtually, remote work had a big moment.

Yes, the rush to give employees access to all the tools they’d need to work from home was a bit, well, sudden for many employers.

10 Benefits of Working From Home

As we’ve long known, remote work has a host of advantages for workers.

Some you may already be aware of, and some that may open your eyes even more to remote work’s impact on employers, employees, the economy, and the planet.

1. Better Work-Life Balance

Many remote jobs also come with flexible schedules, which means that workers can start and end their day as they choose.

It’s all about achieving outcomes.

This control over your work schedule can be invaluable when it comes to attending to the needs of your personal life.

Apple Park is a massive new complex housing thousands of employees

2. Less Commute Stress

The average one-way commuting time in the U.S. is 27.1 minutes.

According to the Auto Insurance Center, commuters spend about 100 hours commuting and 41 hours stuck in traffic each year.

Some “extreme” commutersface much longer commute times of 90 minutes or more each way.

  • Higher cholesterol
  • Elevated blood sugar
  • Increased risk of depression

3. Location Independence

One of the considerable benefits of working from home is having access to a broader range of job opportunities that aren’t limited by geographic location.

This can be especially helpful for job seekers living in rural communities and small towns where there may not be many available local positions.

4. Improved Inclusivity

Remote work enables companies to embrace diversity and inclusion by hiring people from different socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds and with different perspectives.

That can be challenging to accomplish when recruiting is restricted to a specific locale that not everyone wants, or can afford, to live near.

5. Money Savings

People who work from home half time can save around $4,000 per year.

Fuel, car maintenance, transportation, parking fees, a professional wardrobe, lunches bought out, and more can all be reduced or eliminated from your spending entirely.

These savings add up and put more money back into your pocket.

  • Overhead
  • Real estate costs
  • Transit subsidies
  • Continuity of operations

6. Positive Environmental Impact

The 3.9 million employees who worked from home at least half time before the pandemic reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking more than 600,000 cars off the road for an entire year.

A whopping 7.8 billion vehicle miles aren’t traveled each year for those who work at least part-time from home, 3 million tons of greenhouse gases (GHG) are avoided, and oil savings reach $980 million.

7. Impact on Sustainability

Remote work supports a variety of sustainability initiatives, from economic growth and reduced inequalities, to sustainable cities, climate change, and responsible consumption.

8. A Customizable Office

Being able to create a comfortable home office is an excellent benefit of remote work.

Whether you simply want a more ergonomic chair or you have health issues that require specialised office equipment, you can set up your home office and make it whatever you want.

9. Increased Productivity and Performance

Working from home usually leads to fewer interruptions, less office politics, a quieter noise level, and less (or more efficient) meetings.

Add in the lack of a commute, and remote workers typically have more time and fewer distractions, which leads to increased productivity.

10. A Happier, Healthier Work Life

Remote, flexible workers tend to be happier and more loyal employees, in part because working from home has been shown to lower stress

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Money

RBA stands pat on interest rates as hopes dim for future cuts

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RBA stands pat on interest rates as hopes dim for future cuts

Stella Huangfu, University of Sydney

The Reserve Bank kept the cash rate steady at 3.6% at today’s meeting. In its post-meeting statement, the central bank said the monetary policy board

judged that it was appropriate to remain cautious.

This pause follows three cuts earlier this year — in February, May and August, each by 25 basis points — which lowered the cash rate from 4.1% to its current level. Governor Michele Bullock said the bank is watching those previous cuts work through the economy.

Bullock stressed that while inflation has eased from its peak, progress remains uneven, and the bank is not ready to declare victory.

For now, patience is the safer course. The next big test will be the September quarter inflation report, due at the end of October. That release will go a long way to deciding whether cuts resume later this year or slip into 2026. Market pricing, once confident of a November move, now sees the odds as little better than a coin toss.

“By the next meeting in November, we’ll have more data on the labour market and inflation data for the September quarter,” Bullock told a press conference after the meeting.

Why the RBA is waiting

The monthly consumer price index (CPI) for August showed annual inflation rising to 3.0%, up from 2.8% in July. Although this is a 12-month high, much of the increase came from the expiry of electricity rebates — a temporary factor the bank had already anticipated.

Bullock has repeatedly said the Reserve Bank puts more weight on the quarterly “trimmed mean” inflation measure — a point she emphasised most recently before the House of Representatives economics committee. This measure strips out one-off price swings and gives a clearer picture of underlying inflation.

Even so, the monthly figures show the annual trimmed mean edged down from 2.7% in July to 2.6% in August. That suggests the underlying trend remains one of gradual disinflation (a slowing in the pace of price increases), despite the lift in the headline rate.

Bullock told reporters:

The monthly data are volatile […] I don’t want to suggest that inflation is running away, but we just need to be a little bit cautious.

Progress is not yet secure. Inflation must stay within the 2–3% target range on a sustained basis before the Reserve Bank can cut with confidence. Moving too early risks undoing hard-won gains and forcing harsher measures later.



Other data reinforce this cautious approach. June quarter economic growth surprised on the upside, showing the economy is more resilient than expected. Meanwhile, unemployment has ticked higher but remains low, pointing to a labour market that is cooling only gradually.

As the statement noted,

private consumption is picking up as real household incomes rise […] The housing market is strengthening […] Credit is readily available to both households and businesses.

Together, these signals give the Reserve Bank space to pause rather than rush into easing.

A big shift in expectations

The major banks have also adjusted their forecasts. NAB has ruled out any further move this year, dropping its earlier forecasts for November and February cuts and now expecting the next reduction in May 2026. Westpac still expects a November cut, but acknowledges the timing could slip.

Financial markets have also pared back their bets. Pricing once implied near-certainty of a November cut, but that probability has now fallen to roughly 50-50.

The September quarter consumer price index will be decisive: a softer result could revive expectations of an earlier cut, while a stronger one would reinforce the view that rate cuts will not resume until 2026.

With the economy stronger than forecast and CPI a touch higher, both banks and markets are pushing out the timing of cuts. The Reserve Bank’s message is clear: inflation must show sustained progress before policy can be eased. Until then, the next cut is a matter of when, not if.

Rates around the world

The Reserve Bank is not alone in being cautious. In the United States, the Federal Reserve delivered three cuts in 2024, but only made its first cut of 2025 in September. The European Central Bank has reduced rates four times this year, but has kept policy steady since June.

Political tensions, volatile energy prices and fragile global growth all add to the uncertainty, reinforcing the case for patience in Australia.

For households, today’s decision offers no relief. Mortgage repayments remain at an elevated level and consumer spending is weak.

Looking ahead, the Reserve Bank said it will remain data-driven and responsive to risks:

The Board will be attentive to the data […] focused on its mandate to deliver price stability and full employment and will do what it considers necessary to achieve that outcome.

For households, that means the wait for relief goes on. The next move is a cut, but today’s decision makes clear it won’t be rushed.The Conversation

Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Money

Markets remain strong amid potential government shutdown fears

Markets remain strong as investors anticipate jobs data while ignoring government shutdown and tariff concerns

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Markets remain strong as investors anticipate jobs data while ignoring government shutdown and tariff concerns

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In Short:
– Major indices are near session highs, with the Dow up 382 points and resilient to shutdown concerns.
– Rising Treasury yields may challenge bullish sentiment, while upcoming economic reports will influence market direction.
Major indices are trading near session highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up by 382 points, the S&P 500 by 41 points, and the Nasdaq Composite by 100 points.
Investors seem undeterred by the looming government shutdown and new tariff announcements. Despite the challenges, markets appear resilient due to previous experiences with shutdowns.Banner

This coming week, markets should brace for monthly jobs data, assuming no shutdown occurs. Previous initial claims reports have lessened after reaching 263,000 on September 11.

Technical indicators show promise following a retreat to the 20-day SMA. The end of bearish seasonality approaches, coinciding with Q3 earnings season.

Market Perspective

However, rising Treasury yields could pose a challenge for bullish sentiment. The 10-year yield has increased over the past eight trading sessions and may close at a three-week peak.

If it stays below 4.25%, it could support ongoing bullish trends. A notable risk remains the potential negative impact of the jobs report.

Upcoming economic reports include pending home sales, consumer confidence, and nonfarm payrolls, all key to market direction.


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Money

Crypto market plummets near $1 billion in liquidations

Crypto markets crash as liquidations approach $1 billion, marking a severe downturn in September 2025

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Crypto markets crash as liquidations approach $1 billion, marking a severe downturn in September 2025

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In Short:
– Cryptocurrency markets declined significantly, with liquidations nearing $1 billion and Bitcoin below $110,000.
– $442 million in positions were liquidated on Thursday, with Ethereum most affected, raising trader concerns.
Cryptocurrency markets faced significant declines on Thursday, with liquidations nearing $1 billion, contributing to a larger selloff that has cost the sector over $160 billion in market capitalisation.
Bitcoin fell below $110,000, trading around $111,400, while Ethereum dipped below the critical $4,000 support level, marking its lowest point in seven weeks.
The global crypto market capitalisation dropped by 2.2% to $3.91 trillion.Banner

Liquidation reports revealed that $442 million in positions were forcibly closed on Thursday, with Ethereum most affected, accounting for over $180 million.

The previous week saw a larger liquidation event, with $1.7 billion wiped out. Traders are concerned as a significant number of long positions were liquidated in this downturn.

Market Trends

Market analysts highlight a pattern of leveraged trading leading to cascading selloffs. Seasonal factors, regulatory uncertainty, and a strengthening US dollar contributed to the declines.

Despite the downturn, some large investors are taking the opportunity to accumulate assets.


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