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The Memphis Grizzlies, one of the NBA's youngest teams, are keeping around their veteran leader. Grizzlies center Steven Adams signed a multi-year contract extension on Saturday, the team announced.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal is for two years and $25.2 million.

Adams was already under contract for next season, but now he'll be tied to Memphis for three years and $43.1 million.

The contract rewards a steady presence for the Grizzlies, both on and off the court, as they posted the NBA's second-best record last season. The 29-year-old big man, who landed on the team via a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, averaged 6.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 26.3 minutes per game while shooting 54.7% from the field.

In an offense with plenty of shooters and slashers such as Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane Adams' willingness to the dirty work made him a perfect fit. He was first in the NBA in screen assists, first in offensive rebounding rate and second in loose balls recovered on offense, plus he led the Grizzlies in assists among non-point guards.

Steven Adams was more valuable than you'd think for the Grizzlies last season. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

Every great offense could use a Steven Adams, so Memphis naturally wanted to keep him around. The Grizzlies have, for the most part, opted to keep last year's 56-win team together this offseason, with their most notable departures being Kyle Anderson, who signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and De'Anthony Melton, traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Danny Green.

The biggest move was another contract extension, a $231 million max extension for Morant.

The real work will begin when the season begins, as the team is very clearly interested in becoming a real rival to the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

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Grizzlies sign C Steven Adams to reported 2-year, $25.2 million extension - Yahoo Sports

NIO started deliveries of ET5 in late September 2022

NIO delivered 10,878 vehicles in September 2022

NIO delivered 31,607 vehicles in the three months ended September 2022, increasing by 29.3% year-over-year and achieving record-high quarterly deliveries

Cumulative deliveries of NIO vehicles reached 249,504 as of September 30, 2022

SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NIO Inc. (NYSE: NIO; HKEX: 9866; SGX: NIO) (NIO or the Company), a pioneer and a leading company in the premium smart electric vehicle market, today announced its September and third quarter 2022 delivery results.

NIO delivered 10,878 vehicles in September 2022. The deliveries consisted of 7,729 premium smart electric SUVs including 1,895 ES7s, and 3,149 premium smart electric sedans including 2,928 ET7s and 221 ET5s. NIO delivered 31,607 vehicles in the third quarter of 2022, increasing by 29.3% year-over-year and achieving record-high quarterly deliveries. Cumulative deliveries of NIO vehicles reached 249,504 as of September 30, 2022.

NIO will host NIO Berlin 2022, a launch event in Europe under the theme A New Horizon, on October 7, 2022. The NIO Berlin 2022 will be livestreamed globally at 6:00 PM Central European Time (12:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time on October 7, 2022, or 12:00 AM Beijing Time on October 8, 2022), through the following platforms: nio.com, NIO App, YouTube@NIO.

About NIO Inc. NIO Inc. is a pioneer and a leading company in the premium smart electric vehicle market. Founded in November 2014, NIOs mission is to shape a joyful lifestyle. NIO aims to build a community starting with smart electric vehicles to share joy and grow together with users. NIO designs, develops, jointly manufactures and sells premium smart electric vehicles, driving innovations in next-generation technologies in autonomous driving, digital technologies, electric powertrains and batteries. NIO differentiates itself through its continuous technological breakthroughs and innovations, such as its industry-leading battery swapping technologies, Battery as a Service, or BaaS, as well as its proprietary autonomous driving technologies and Autonomous Driving as a Service, or ADaaS. NIOs product portfolio consists of the ES8, a six- or seven-seater flagship premium smart electric SUV, the ES7, a mid-large five-seater premium smart electric SUV, the ES6, a five-seater high-performance premium smart electric SUV, the EC6, a five-seater premium smart electric coupe SUV, the ET7, a flagship premium smart electric sedan, and the ET5, a mid-size premium smart electric sedan.

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Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may constitute forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as will, expects, anticipates, aims, future, intends, plans, believes, estimates, likely to and similar statements. NIO may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in announcements, circulars or other publications made on the websites of each of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the SEHK) and the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the SGX-ST), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about NIOs beliefs, plans and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: NIOs strategies; NIOs future business development, financial condition and results of operations; NIOs ability to develop and manufacture a car of sufficient quality and appeal to customers on schedule and on a large scale; its ability to ensure and expand manufacturing capacities including establishing and maintaining partnerships with third parties; its ability to provide convenient and comprehensive power solutions to its customers; the viability, growth potential and prospects of the newly introduced BaaS and ADaaS; its ability to improve the technologies or develop alternative technologies in meeting evolving market demand and industry development; NIOs ability to satisfy the mandated safety standards relating to motor vehicles; its ability to secure supply of raw materials or other components used in its vehicles; its ability to secure sufficient reservations and sales of the ES8, ES7, ES6, EC6, ET7 and ET5; its ability to control costs associated with its operations; its ability to build the NIO brand; general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in NIOs filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the announcements and filings on the websites of each of the SEHK and SGX-ST. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and NIO does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please visit: http://ir.nio.com

Investor Relationsir@nio.com

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NIO Inc. Provides September and Third Quarter 2022 Delivery Update - Yahoo Finance

There are so many games over the course of a college football weekend that some slip through the cracks and others require further examination the next day. Before we turn the page to Week 5, heres a closer look at some of the most interesting outcomes of Week 4.

Its premature to consider anyone else but Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud for the 2022 Heisman Trophy.

Players like Hendon Hooker, Jalon Daniels and others have gotten rightful praise for their performances over the first few weeks of the season. But we shouldnt talk about anyone else but the two favorites until they do something to remove themselves from consideration.

Young, the 2021 Heisman winner, was phenomenal against Vanderbilt on Saturday night. The game was overshadowed because Alabama opened as 40-point favorites, but Young threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in just the first half.

He finished the night 25-of-36 passing for 385 yards and those four scores before giving way to Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson when the game was out of reach.

We shouldn't become used to what Young is doing in 2022 either. He was the main reason Alabama beat Texas in Week 2after the Crimson Tides undisciplined performance and his stats through the first four games are in line with his Heisman-winning campaign. Young is completing 69% of his passes for 1,029 yards and 13 TDs to two interceptions this season.

Thats especially impressive when considering that Alabama is still working to replace Jameson Williams and John Metchie III on the outside. No Alabama player has more than 17 catches this season and six players have at least 10 grabs. Young is spreading the ball around to different receivers with great effect as Alabama looks for a go-to receiver.

- Nick Bromberg

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (9) talks with wide receiver Jermaine Burton during the second half of Saturday's blowout win against Vanderbilt. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

As you likely know, no player has won back-to-back Heismans since Archie Griffin in the 1970s. Thats likely a reason why Young is still the No. 2 favorite for the Heisman at +400.

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Stroud is the favorite at BetMGM at +150 and has done nothing to see his Heisman odds drop throughout the first month of the season. He was 17-of-27 for 281 yards and five TDs in the Buckeyes thrashing of Wisconsin. And he had that performance by throwing passes to just four receivers while Jaxon Smith-Njigba sat out the game due to a hamstring injury.

Stroud averaged over 10 yards per pass and his biggest target was Emeka Egbuka. He had six catches for 118 yards and two scores. Wisconsins secondary was overmatched even though Egbuka, Julian Fleming, Cade Stover and Marvin Harrison Jr. were the only Ohio State players who caught passes.

Stroud has completed over 70% of his passes for 1,222 yards this season and has thrown 16 TDs to just the one pick he threw on Saturday night. Hes averaging nearly 11 yards per pass and his 63% completion percentage against the Badgers was his lowest of any game this season.

We all saw how explosive Stroud and Smith-Njigba can be together; Strouds numbers could get even better after Smith-Njigba gets healthy. And with Rutgers and Michigan State over the next two weeks before Ohio States bye, Stroud should pile up a lot more yards and TDs soon. And as he does that, his Heisman odds could get lower.

- Nick Bromberg

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was impressive in a blowout victory against Wisconsin. (Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)

When you watch a game like Ohio States 52-21 demolition of Wisconsin on Saturday night, its hard not to feel like youre watching two programs in two completely different stratospheres of the sport.

Wisconsin is a consistent winner. The Badgers are 67-25 with three division titles in eight seasons under Paul Chryst. But when you watch Wisconsin face a team like Ohio State, a perennial national title contender, its blatantly obvious how far away the Badgers are from the top teams in college football.

Ohio State jumped out to a 28-0 lead before Wisconsin crossed midfield. And with the slow and plodding way the Badgers play offense, there was no chance for a comeback even with three-quarters of the game still to be played.

Though the Badgers have modernized their offense to an extent this season, there are still fullbacks and tight ends galore and plenty of under-center runs. Quarterback Graham Mertz has not come close to developing into a player befitting of his lofty recruiting rankings and there is still a stark lack of talent at receiver. Only Braelon Allen, the 235-pound sophomore running back, looked like he belonged on the same field as OSUs star-studded outfit on Saturday night.

It was an ugly night for the Badgers who are 2-2 on the year (there was also a disappointing home loss to Washington State earlier this month) and feel like a program that has quietly descended into the middle of the pack in the Big Ten over the past few seasons. Since the start of the 2020 season, Wisconsin is 9-7 in Big Ten play. The Badgers have also lost 10 of their past 15 games against ranked opponents.

The Badgers have always done more with less, developing under the radar recruits into all-conference players and NFL draft picks. Wisconsin has recruited better than its historical norms in recent years, yet that influx of talent has not elevated the programs trajectory in any way. Even the heralded Wisconsin defense led by Jim Leonhard had no answers for what was on the other sideline in Columbus.

Maybe comparing Wisconsin and Ohio State is unfair. But the yearly expectation for the Badgers has been to win the Big Ten West title. If they dont right the ship, the Badgers could miss out on a trip to the Big Ten title game for the third consecutive season. Wisconsin has played in six of the 11 conference title games, so that would be another sign of regression for the program.

- Sam Cooper

Michigan got a much-needed wake-up call from Maryland on Saturday. The Wolverines were not challenged through three games as they beat Colorado State, Hawaii and UConn by a combined margin of 166-17. But Maryland showed the Wolverines that there is plenty for them to work on as they get into the thick of the Big Ten season.

Even after the Terps spotted Michigan a 7-0 lead by fumbling the opening kickoff, they moved the ball with ease for much of the first half. The Terps tied the score at 10-10 late in the first and later took a 13-10 lead. Taulia Tagovailoa had a lot of success carving up Michigan's secondary while the Terps' offensive line had a consistently good push against a bunch of newer faces in the trenches for the Wolverines.

It was also a test for new Michigan starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was up and down in his first Big Ten start. He completed 18 of 26 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns, but made some questionable decisions along the way. He held the ball way too long on several plays, missed a few easy throws and missed multiple opportunities to take off and run.

McCarthy made some nice throws in the second half to help Michigan build a lead, but he would have been under a lot more pressure had it not been for a career performance from running back Blake Corum. Corum rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns, one that gave UM the lead right before halftime and another that put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter.

McCarthy will make his first road start next week in one of the Big Tens toughest environments Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Iowa is struggling mightily on offense but still has a tremendous defense. Its going to be a significant test for McCarthy ahead of games against top Big Ten East competition like Ohio State and Penn State.

- Sam Cooper

Maryland couldn't keep up with Michigan running back Blake Corum, who tallied a career-high 243 rushing yards in the Wolverines' victory Saturday in Ann Arbor. (Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports)

Florida State 44, Boston College 14: Boston College might be the worst team in the ACC. Georgia Tech is certainly in that conversation, but BC is off to a miserable 1-3 start this season after getting demolished Saturday night. The offense particularly the line has been awful. BC is averaging just 4.32 yards per play. Only Iowa and Colorado are worse among Power Five programs. Meanwhile, the Eagles' defense cant stop anyone. Head coach Jeff Hafley has a lot of things to figure out with games against Louisville, Clemson and Wake Forest next on the schedule.

Miami (Ohio) 17, Northwestern 14: Northwestern has fallen off a cliff after beating Nebraska in Dublin in Week 0. Since then, the Wildcats have lost at home to Duke, Southern Illinois and Miami. Northwestern was favored by at least a touchdown in all three games. With Big Ten play ahead (Penn State and Wisconsin are Northwesterns next two games), this season could get uglier for head coach Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats.

Troy 16, Marshall 7: Marshall has lost back-to-back games after upsetting Notre Dame on the road. The Thundering Herd fell to Bowling Green last week before mustering only 174 yards of offense in a road loss to Troy on Saturday. Troy, as evidenced by its near-upset over App State, is a solid team but this is still a disappointing turn of events for Marshall after such a monumental win in South Bend.

Navy 23, East Carolina 20 (2OT): After losing to Delaware and Memphis to open the season, Navy needed a win Saturday and it got one by upsetting ECU on the road. The Midshipmen went a combined 7-15 in 2020 and 2021 and things seemed to be trending in the wrong direction for head coach Ken Niumatalolo. After a bye week, though, Navy was able to gut out a road win with a trip to Air Force coming next weekend.

UL Monroe 21, Louisiana 17: Before last week, Louisiana had the nations longest FBS winning streak at 15 straight. Now, the Ragin Cajuns are on a two-game losing streak after getting upset by UL Monroe on Saturday. UL led 17-7 entering the fourth quarter before ULM scored the games final 14 points to knock off the Ragin Cajuns for the first time since 2017. With Billy Napier now at Florida, Michael Desormeaux is off to a 2-2 start as Louisianas head coach.

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After Further Review: The Heisman race so far is between Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud - Yahoo Sports

ATLANTA Friday afternoon, on a FaceTime call with his former Milwaukee Brewers teammate Christian Yelich, designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach explained the complicated stakes of the weekend series the New York Mets were about to embark upon in Atlanta.

Entering the penultimate series of the regular season, one game separated the top two teams in the only division still up for grabs, the National League East. This year, in a new expanded postseason format, four teams the top two in each league will receive a bye for the first round. Three have already been determined. The Mets and Braves are fighting for the last one. The victor will get a chance to rest and reset its pitching staff while the other must survive the new three-game, wild-card round for the opportunity to face the 110-win (and counting) Los Angeles Dodgers.

Its been a decade, at least, since two teams fighting for first have played each other so late in the season. A Mets sweep would be decisive, a Braves sweep would turn the tides decidedly. Anything in between and the race would go down to the wire, with each team playing three more games against other opponents.

Yeli used to tell Vogelbach, who spent a little more than a season in Milwaukee, that postseason baseball is addicting: You go once and you lose and it's like, I want more, I want to keep going, hed say. And Vogelbach, who spent the first part of his career in Seattle, didnt think much of that until the Brewers won their division last year, only to be booted in the NLDS.

When we lost, it was like, man, I want to do that again right now, he said.

But heres the thing about baseballs thrilling postseason: To get from one to the next, you have to go through the 162-game regular season. And while the oft-cited adage you just have to get inspeaks to the excitement created by a newly leveled playing field and the unpredictability of short series, it also implies a corollary: a teams real merit is measured in the regular season. Both these teams will play in October; it could be that neither wins the World Series. But first well find out which one is better.

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I'm actually glad I'm in the race, said Max Scherzer before the series got underway, unsurprisingly amped to not be in a position to coast. I enjoy being in these races. I'm so lucky to be on a team where you get to come to the park and it's a must-win game.

In a way I see it as a plus, Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson said. For us, just continuing to play meaningful baseball, to not give yourself a chance to let up, is really important because I feel like we've been in that position where you win it with a week and a half left, and the next thing you know, you kind of lose a little bit of, like, that edge. Your body kind of shuts off a little bit, your mind shuts off a little bit, but right now it's no rest for the weary. You just keep going. Keep grinding away.

Braves closer Kenley Jansen who once again finds himself on a team that seemingly cannot lose, like last years Los Angeles Dodgers chasing the San Francisco Giants, and yet also cannot overtake the unstoppable team ahead of it said of these stressful final stretches, I love it. This is what were built for.

Before this weekend, the Mets had spent only two days this season without at least a partial possession of first place. But that belies the formidable showdown brewing as the reigning champions tore through the second half at a 107-win pace to pull within a single game heading into the final weekend.

And then the Braves won two more against the Mets themselves to switch spots in the standings, now up one. The New York Yankees lead baseball in team home runs it helps to have one guy rack up 61 of them but the Braves are No. 2 in the sport. Against elite pitching, their ability to turn any mistakes into instant runs proved to be the difference. The Mets started their co-aces in the first two games of the series, playing their strongest card by lining up Jacob deGrom and Scherzer. The Braves homered five times combined against the two of them.

If I don't execute my pitches, they're going to beat me, Scherzer said. Very thin room for error.

And so it goes that with one game left against each other, the room for error is as thin as could be. The season series, which will function as a tiebreaker, is currently knotted at nine apiece. Another Braves win would put them up two and give them the edge in the event of a tie come seasons end. A Mets win would have them tied with Atlanta in the standings, but with a chance to control their destiny with the tiebreaker on their side.

The last good race in baseball this year is a doozy. And, if fans are lucky, a preview of many more like it to come.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) is tagged out by New York Mets catcher Tomas Nido (3) during a game on Saturday, Oct. 1st, 2022 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Mets-Braves rivalry hasnt been truly bitter since before some of these rookies were born. The two teams that used to make the insults personal and turn their personal lives into living, breathing taunts havent finished first and second in the division since 2000. Although that was merely just past the midpoint of the Braves 14 straight years of NL East titles.

They had a nice run, Mets owner Steve Cohen said before the first game of the series, looking a little pained at the thought of the rivalrys heyday. Maybe its our turn.

Although theyll duke it out between the white lines, Cohen himself can put a heavy hand on that scale. Money does that. And while his many billions creates endless opportunity at least for speculation the Braves precise distribution of their own funds internally could tip things back in their favor. The future of these two teams is a study in how, if the details are done right, both certainty and uncertainty can be equally exciting.

Less than a half hour before the first pitch of Fridays game, the Braves announced that starting pitcher Charlie Morton would be returning in 2023, on a $20 million contract, with a club option for 2024. It was just the latest, and perhaps least splashy, in a spate of extensions that have come to characterize the current regime in Atlanta. The Braves front office likes home-grown guys and cost certainty, and bolstered the team that won a World Series with just a couple of high-profile replacements. Reprehensibly below-market early-career deals with Ronald Acua Jr. and Ozzie Albies have begotten fairer extensions. This year alone the Braves signed 28-year-old Matt Olson to an eight-year deal immediately after trading for him; 25-year-old Austin Riley to a 10-year deal; and 21-year-old rookie sensation Michael Harris II to an eight-year deal.

Where the Braves spend to keep guys, the Mets under Cohen spend to get guys. This past offseason featured a shopping spree that brought in Mark Canha, Eduardo Escobar, Starling Marte, and was headlined by baseballs most expensive contract on a per-year basis to get a second ace in Scherzer. If they bring back deGrom, itll likely be on a new contract signed after he opts out. They have one $300 million man in Francisco Lindor (styles of team building are not mutually exclusive; Lindor, like Olson, was a trade acquisition that was quickly extended) and Mets fans have enjoyed window shopping across town for another.

Both teams figure to contend for a while: because of the Braves commitment to what is working, and the Mets seeming determination to do whatever it takes.

I dont know if its a rivalry, Vogelbach said, its two really, really good teams.

Of course, that is the recipe for a rivalry.

Jansen said that after Yankees-Red Sox, nothing is as intense as the California rivalry he came from with the Giants and Dodgers I see so many fights in the pavilion in Dodger Stadium but rivalries respond to recency bias. And for a more up-to-date temperature check, you have to wade into the instant thermometer that is the internet.

Just from my Twitter comments, Jesus, people are tense. I go on there and I see stuff and Im like, Oh my God, people are at each others throats on here, Canha said. Its heated.

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'Its two really, really good teams': Braves, Mets take baseball's most thrilling race down to the wire - Yahoo Sports

President Biden talks a lot about inflation. He typically takes two tacks. One, he acknowledges its a serious problem for ordinary families. Two, he explains what hes trying to do about it.

Biden almost never talks about the stock marketbut maybe he should start acknowledging the pain it is causing, too. The S&P 500 index is down 24% from its peak early this year. The tech-heavy NASDAQ is down by a punishing 33% from its peak last November. Stocks rise and fall as a matter of course and dont ordinarily warrant presidential attention. But this bear market, which worsened in September, may be casting a new layer of gloom over already dour Americans.

The driving force behind the 2022 market rout is inflation, and the Federal Reserves late yet urgent effort to jack up interest rates and bring inflation down. Rate hikes make borrowing more expensive, which tends to cut into spending and slow growth. Higher borrowing costs also trim corporate profits, which is one factor pushing stocks lower. Investors are also grappling with how much collateral damage the Fed may cause as it hikes rates, and the possibility of a recession that hits profits even harder.

A bear market in stocks doesnt hit consumer confidence as hard as inflation itself, especially the soaring gas prices that shocked drivers during the summer. Confidence bottomed out as gas prices peaked, then began to recover as gas prices fell. But confidence turned downward again in mid-September, according to Morning Consults daily tracking survey. That coincided with an ugly market selloff that has pushed the S&P to its lowest level in nearly two years. Bidens approval rating had improved from 38% in July to 43% in early September, but its now dipping again, along with stocks.

The stock market was a tailwind for Biden during his first year in office. At the end of last year, the stock markets performance under Biden was the second best of any president going back to Jimmy Carter in the 1970s. The market did better under Barack Obama, but only because the massive selloff caused by the 2008 financial crash ended two months into Obamas first term, with an epic rally kicking off. The market under Biden has now fallen from second best to sixth, as this chart shows:

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When asked about stocks, Biden typically says the stock market isnt the real economy, then reels off a few better-sounding stats about job growth or legislation hes signed. Hes right and wrong. Its true that the direction of stocks doesnt directly affect most peoples paychecks. People with investing or retirement accounts dont lose money just because the value of stocks goes down. They only lose money if they sell low and lock in declines. Many prudent investors can simply wait out a bear market, since stocks are normally a longer-term investment.

But the stock market does reflect whats going on in the real economy, and a bear market often presages a recession. When stocks drop substantially, investors are usually betting on a decline in future corporate profits and cash flows. Some economists think the US economy is due for a recession within the next year or so, and the bear market in stocks could be one sign its coming.

[Follow Rick Newman on Twitter, sign up for his newsletter or sound off.]

When stocks fall enough, theres also a negative wealth effect that makes people who do have an investing or retirement portfolio feel poorer, and sometimes rein in spending. That may be happening now, given that consumer spending is cooling. That affects the economy too, since consumer spending accounts for around two-thirds of all economic output.

Did Biden cause the 2022 bear market? Generally, no. He did champion and sign the Democrats 2021 stimulus bill, which probably contributed a bit to inflation, currently running at 8.3%. But the bigger causes of inflation have been goods shortages created by the COVID pandemic and a super-tight job market thats making labor more expensive. Russias barbaric war in Ukraine is another factor, since its pushing global energy costs higher.

One can argue that the Federal Reserve should have seen all this coming and starting hiking rates earlier. But Biden doesnt control the Fedand he has pointedly promised not to hector the central bank to do this or that, the way his predecessor Donald Trump did.

Trump also tried to talk up the stock market, when it was plummeting at the onset of the COVID pandemic in February of 2020. That didnt work. Stocks recovered in April of that year when the Fed rolled out an extraordinary set of liquidity programs and rate cuts meant to help financial markets recover. Those measures worked. Maybe too well. The Fed has now reversed that easy-money policy and to some extent is reclaiming gains in risk assets that may have gone too far.

Biden and his fellow Democrats have had solid momentum since mid-summer, thanks to plunging gasoline prices and a raft of legislative victories for Biden. For a fleeting moment, it looked as if they might be able to defy the customary political snapback effect that costs the presidents party seats in the midterm election, and maintain control of Congress. For that to happen though, Bidens approval rating probably needs to be close to 50%, and its simply not going to get there with financial markets issuing regular warnings that the Fed might be fomenting a recession. Maybe markets will settle down by the next set of elections, in 2024.

Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @rickjnewman

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This week in Bidenomics: The bear-market president - Yahoo Finance

Coming into the 2022 season, everyone knew two things to be true: The AL East was going to be tough sledding, and MLBs expanded playoff format was likely to allow multiple strong teams from the division to compete. Four teams from the powerhouse division playing meaningful September baseball seemed imminently reasonable. Its just that no one thought the one team left out of that group would be the Boston Red Sox.

Maybe we should expect it by now. The last 11 seasons have been a difficult-to-believe roller coaster in Boston. There have been five postseason appearances, including two World Series titles, and now there will be five last-place finishes alongside. There have also been three top baseball executives and four different managers.

Current chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom took over when owner John Henry fired Dave Dombrowski near the end of the 2019 season. The error that cost Dombrowski his job was paying the luxury tax for a team that finished third. This year, the Red Sox will pay the luxury tax again for a space in the cellar. Now, Henry can afford it, its only a $900,000 bill, but his emphasis on getting under the tax at the time raise questions about how he will respond when his team needs reinforcements, not belt tightening. He walked back some of those comments but still acknowledged an incentive to be under the tax threshold which carries escalating penalties for repeat spenders to the Boston Globe, I think every team probably wants to reset at least once every three years.

Henry also didnt really need to say anything for the priority to be apparent. After all, Blooms first major act at the helm was to trade away Mookie Betts.

If theyre going to defy the gravity of losing once again, there are major questions to be answered. And they start with the money.

The two best players on the Red Sox reside on the left side of the infield. Xander Bogaerts, the shortstop who is turning 30 on Saturday, will likely opt out of his contract after the season. Rafael Devers, the baby-faced 25-year-old third baseman, is under team control through 2023.

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Whatever comes next for this team starts with these negotiations. Team president Sam Kennedy dismissed the narrative that the Red Sox arent willing to spend this week, so perhaps that portends an effort to get these deals settled.

Bogaerts, who makes $20 million per year under his current deal, will certainly be able to beat that on the open market. Take whatever scope you want three seasons, five seasons and he compares favorably to Carlos Correa, Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, all of whom signed for at least $25 million per year last offseason.

Devers, who could reach free agency right around his 27th birthday, presents Bloom and company with a less elite, but still crucial, version of the Betts situation. With one year left under team control, Devers has proven himself to be one of the 15 to 20 best pure hitters in baseball. His defense was subpar in previous seasons, but the numbers point toward improvement in 2022. Whether teams believe that will stick for at least a few years will have some sway over his earning power. Even if he is viewed as a future first baseman, the deal to secure him will likely need to come in north of the $21 million per year the Braves gave to Austin Riley and Matt Olson.

The 2023 Red Sox starting rotation looks murky to say the least. Chris Sales return from Tommy John surgery was delayed by a rib cage injury. Then, he suffered a fractured finger on his pitching hand in his second start back in the majors. While recovering from that, he broke his other wrist in a bike crash and required season-ending surgery. Should he be good to go for 2023? Sure.

Nathan Eovaldi is set to become a free agent, along with Michael Wacha and Rich Hill. James Paxton who signed a one-year, $10 million deal with several options never pitched in 2022. The Red Sox presumably wont pick up his $13 million team option, but he could exercise a $4 million player option.

Internally, 23-year-old Brayan Bello looks like a keeper after 12 games in the bigs (10 of them starts), but high walk totals lend at least some doubt about how reliable he will be in his first full season. Nick Pivetta can provide innings, but his best major league season involved an ERA merely 1% better than league average.

External options also exist, of course.

The turnover on the pitching staff could even be a good thing if Bloom has better luck on the market. Thats just far from a guarantee. Last winters attempts at efficiency included trading away solid outfielder Hunter Renfroe as his arbitration salary doubled. He continued with a nearly identical 2-WAR season, while the Red Sox flailed at finding even a serviceable hitter to replace him. Real upgrades usually cost real money.

Its hard not to think about Betts eventual deal with the Dodgers, which he has said he would have signed if it were offered by the Red Sox. Its a long deal, 12 years, but it carries an average annual value that now looks very reasonable for a perennial MVP candidate at $30.4 million. For at least the next two seasons theyll be paying upward of $47 million for a mid-30s pitcher (Sale) and a shortstop with two straight worrisome seasons of mediocrity under his belt (Trevor Story).

So the question is: Will the misadventures in cost-cutting change their ways? The free agent class this winter is loaded. There are real impact players available from Aaron Judge to Jacob deGrom to Trea Turner, if Bogaerts moves on or someone is willing to move positions. There are also potentially impactful, if riskier, options like Carlos Rodon who figure to be available in that Story range.

Bloom has also legitimately improved the standing of Bostons minor league system. There is a good deal of talent in the pipeline, much of it in the coveted middle infield category. First baseman Triston Casas has already hit the ground running and figures to provide pop for the foreseeable future. Within two years, more high-level players should emerge as big-league help at the usual rookie bargain rates.

This isnt a team or a city that usually waits a few years, though. Its the Red Sox. They can afford the talent to rebound quickly, even in a daunting division. And until they secure it and achieve that rebound theyre going to be answering questions about the ill-fated cost-slashing assignment that ownership gave Bloom and the current regime in 2019.

Excerpt from:

Can the Red Sox really turn around this last-place finish? Big questions loom over the post-Mookie Betts era - Yahoo Sports

With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 47.4x Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) may be sending very bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 13x and even P/E's lower than 8x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

While the market has experienced earnings growth lately, Intuitive Surgical's earnings have gone into reverse gear, which is not great. It might be that many expect the dour earnings performance to recover substantially, which has kept the P/E from collapsing. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

View our latest analysis for Intuitive Surgical

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If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Intuitive Surgical.

Intuitive Surgical's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 13%. Regardless, EPS has managed to lift by a handy 14% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the earlier period of growth. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been mostly respectable for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 18% each year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 9.6% per annum, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Intuitive Surgical's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

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As we suspected, our examination of Intuitive Surgical's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings aren't under threat. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

The company's balance sheet is another key area for risk analysis. Our free balance sheet analysis for Intuitive Surgical with six simple checks will allow you to discover any risks that could be an issue.

If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly and trade on P/E's below 20x.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Earnings Tell The Story For Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) - Yahoo Finance

The NFL isn't just about which team is better in any particular game. There are plenty of situations to factor in, and all of them can be important.

If you are into situational analysis, you know this week isn't a good spot for the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins face the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night. A casual fan might wonder why a 3-0 Dolphins team is a 3.5-point underdog at BetMGM against the 1-2 Bengals.

The most obvious answer is the health of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Whatever happened with his head injury/not head injury/it's actually a back injury is still lingering, according to Miami. The Dolphins have spoken this week like Tagovailoa isn't a sure thing to play.

If Tagovailoa plays, there are still reasons the Dolphins are underdogs and the line keeps moving the Bengals' way.

Miami is coming off an emotional, challenging win over the Buffalo Bills. They played in 89-degree heat with 63 percent humidity on Sunday. The defense was on the field for an astonishing 90 plays. Even on a full week, coming off those conditions could affect them in the next game. On a short week, it will be tough to rebound.

Also, the Dolphins had their week disrupted. They had to leave Miami early Wednesday to beat Hurricane Ian. When you have just three days to prepare, a change like that can be significant.

So the Dolphins are coming off an emotional win, have heard all week how great they are, they're still recovering from playing in sweltering heat and they had their travel plans changed at the last minute. Oh, and their quarterback is banged up. Other than that, it's an easy week.

They're also facing a Bengals team that is very good but got off to a bad start and has plenty of urgency. They don't want to start 1-3. This is a big turning point game for Cincinnati.

None of it looks good for the Dolphins. They're much improved this season and look like a playoff team. But it will be really impressive if they win at Cincinnati on Thursday. There are a lot of odds against them.

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Linebacker Melvin Ingram (6), cornerback Nik Needham (40) and the Miami Dolphins are coming off a huge win in Week 3. (Peter Joneleit via AP)

Here's a first look at the sports betting slate for Thursday:

If a Bengals pick is predicated on the Dolphins defense being worn out from Sunday, then we need to look at Bengals passing game props. I like Joe Burrow over 272.5 passing yards. I don't figure it will be a blowout; Burrow should be passing for all four quarters. I also prefer Tee Higgins over 64.5 yards to Ja'Marr Chase over 71.5 yards, though I don't mind the over on Chase either. The longer the game remains competitive, the more the Dolphins could wear down. That might open up some opportunities for either receiver, or even Tyler Boyd (41.5 yards) late in the game.

It's hard to look at much else without knowing exactly where Tagovailoa's health stands.

There's one college game on the BetMGM board for Thursday. Utah State plays at BYU and the Cougars are 24.5-point favorites. Hey, we didn't say it was a good college game. But if you don't like the NFL, at least there's other football to bet on.

There are 10 games on the MLB slate, including four in the afternoon. Those who like some midday action will miss those games when they're gone.

The bad part is they're not exactly great games. The one that has playoff implications is the Philadelphia Phillies, still in the final NL wild-card spot, at the Chicago Cubs. The Phillies are -200 favorites. The Baltimore Orioles are still technically alive in the AL wild-card race, and they play at the Boston Red Sox. Baltimore is a +125 underdog.

There aren't a lot of meaningful games at night either, but you'll be watching football anyway.

I liked the Bengals a lot more earlier in the week when they were -3. But -3.5 doesn't scare me off. I think the Dolphins are a good team in a bad situational spot. Unfortunately, oddsmakers and many bettors recognized that early in the week as well. The line did creep back from -4, which is where it sat Wednesday.

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Daily Sweat: Dolphins are good, but may be in some trouble vs. Bengals - Yahoo Sports

Former bantamweight and featherweight champion Eder Jofre, being honored by the WBC at its 2019 convention in Cancun, Mexico, died Sunday at 86 in Brazil. (Photo courtesy of WBC)

Eder Jofre, arguably the greatest Brazilian boxer whose skills and punching power helped land him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, died Sunday in Brazil after a lengthy illness. He was 86.

Jofre, who competed in the 1956 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland, is regarded as among the greatest bantamweight champions ever and in 2003 was ranked by The Ring as 85th among the 100 greatest punchers of all time.

He was 72-2-4 with 50 KOs. In one of his draws, on Nov. 5, 1965, against Manny Elias, he won on all three scorecards but since a rule in Brazil mandated that a fighter needed to be leading by at least four points on at least two cards, the bout was ruled a draw.

His only losses were to Fighting Harada in bouts for the WBA and WBC bantamweight titles. Harada won a split decision on May 18, 1965, in Nagoya, Japan. Harada won a unanimous decision by scores of 69-68, 71-68 and 71-69, in the rematch in Tokyo, on May 31, 1966.

The WBC held an amateur tournament Saturday in Brazil named in Jofre's honor. The event featured fighters from Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador and Mexico. He died several hours following its completion.

"He was a warrior," WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told Yahoo Sports. "He was a great fighter who competed at a time when the bantamweight division was very important and had so many great fighters. Fighting Harada, Jose Medel. He had so many great fights and he is considered the greatest bantamweight of all time. That era, boxing was so different. They fought 15 rounds and the fighters were so much more active. He was really a great and amazing fighter.

"He was a classic boxer but he had power. His technique was very good and he was aggressive, so he was always fun to watch. He could take a punch, too, and was just tremendous. He was a great boxer and a great guy. This is a big loss."

Jofre retired at 30 years old after the second loss to Harada. He was 47-2-4 at the time. After three years retired, he came back as a featherweight. He reeled off 14 consecutive wins to earn a shot at the WBC featherweight title against Jose Legra in Brasilia, Brazil, on May 5, 1973. Jofre won by majority decision to become the lineal as well as the WBC featherweight champion.

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He wasn't himself as a featherweight and was stripped of the title a year later. He never lost another bout before retiring for good in 1976.

He was an alderman for 16 years in Brazil after he retired and made many public appearances. The WBC honored him at its convention in Cancun, Mexico, in 2019.

"He had been battling [illness] hard for many years, but he was always strong and positive and smiling," said Sulaiman,

Jofre was "extremely close" with Sulaiman's father, Jose Sulaiman. Jose Sulaiman was president of the WBC for many years before his son, Mauricio, succeeded him following his death.

"When he was out in the public, he would start sparring people in a funny kind of way and was always happy and loved to be around boxing people and boxing fans," Mauricio Sulaiman said.

Eder Jofre (R), shown in a 1962 bantamweight title fight in San Francisco, California, with Herman Marquez, died Sunday in Brazil at 86 years old. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. (AP Photo)

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Hall of Famer Eder Jofre, legendary bantamweight and featherweight champion, dies at 86 - Yahoo Sports

Warren Buffett is one of the worlds richest people, and widely considered to be among the best investors of all time. So, its no wonder that eager investors closely watch his every trading move.

Those who are paying attention are bound to notice that Buffetts company, Berkshire Hathaway, has been buying up a lot of one stock in particular lately Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY).

Buffett made news earlier this year because Berkshire owned around 20% of Occidental Petroleum. Berkshire has recently gotten permission to own up to 50% of Occidental, and even added to his position earlier this week.

While we cant claim to be inside the head of a billionaire, we can offer a few educated guesses as to whats attracting Buffett to this particular stock. And perhaps these insights will help you think about what you should do with your own money.

6 Unusual Ways Lazy People Are Boosting Their Bank Account

Taking a chance on an energy company is not out of character for Buffett.

Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has been investing in fossil fuel companies for years and it doesnt seem like hes changing his tune anytime soon. For example, Berkshire Hathaway owns a lot of shares in fossil-fuel giant Chevron (NYSE: CVX).

As climate change continues and much of the discourse focuses on renewable energy, its clear that Buffett still believes fossil fuels have us firmly in their grasp.

Incidentally, Occidental says it plans to reach net-zero emissions on its operational and energy use by 2040, or possibly earlier.

One of the ways that Buffett makes successful investment decisions is by going after stocks with prices that are lower than they should be. When looking for a company to invest in, he not only looks at current profitability, but also looks at historical profitability.

Occidental Petroleum has been a very profitable company. In the first quarter of 2022 alone, the company made a profit of $4.7 billion.

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Buffett is well-known for investing in some of the most profitable companies in the world, like Apple and Coca-Cola.

Pro tip: Its hard to build wealth if you are sinking in debt. So, find ways to crush your debts, and use the money you save to invest in your future.

Inflation causes consumers to rein in spending, and that can hurt some stocks. When consumer power is weaker, many companies become less profitable.

Instead of shying away from investments, seasoned professional investors like Buffett look to inflation-friendly stocks they can invest in to help protect and even grow their portfolios.

Buffett is not alone in seeing energy stocks as one of the safest investments during times of high inflation. Energy is a commodity sector that can do well no matter how tight money is, because consumers have to pay for gas to drive their cars and heat to warm their homes.

Buffetts faith in Occidental Petroleum is not just a result of his belief in the continued relevance of fossil fuels. It was also spurred by the performance of Vicki Hollub, Occidentals CEO.

Hollub, who is a mineral engineer by trade, famously impressed Buffett with her management style. After reading a transcript of an earnings recap from the company, Buffett remarked on how impressed he was by Hollubs work, saying that what she was doing as CEO was exactly what Id be doing.

You dont need to be a billionaire to channel Buffetts investment energy. To follow in his footsteps, choose stocks wisely and try not to get pulled into market trends.

We might not all understand why Buffett is investing so much in one company like Occidental Petroleum but he sure does, and thats what matters.

Fully understanding the rationale behind your own investment decisions can improve your odds of moving beyond living paycheck to paycheck as you build lasting wealth.

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4 Reasons This Company is Warren Buffetts Favorite Stock Right Now - Yahoo Finance