Fang Holdings Posts Narrower Loss In Q4; Revenues Up 14.6%

Fang Holdings Limited (SFUN) reported a fourth quarter loss from continuing operations of $76 thousand, compared to a loss of $26.2 million, a year ago. The company reported breakeven per class A and class B ordinary shares compared to a loss of $0.29.

Fourth quarter total revenues were $56.5 million, an increase of 14.6% from $49.3 million, prior year. Revenue from marketing services was $30.1 million, an increase of 59.1%.

Fang’s management projects a positive net income for the year of 2021.

European Economics Preview: German Ifo Business Confidence Data Due

Business confidence from Germany and retail sales from the UK are due on Friday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 3.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics publishes UK retail sales data for February. Economists forecast retail sales to grow 2.1 percent on month, reversing January’s 8.2 percent fall.

At 4.00 am ET, Spain INE releases quarterly GDP data for the fourth quarter. The statistical office is expected to confirm 0.4 percent sequential growth.

At 4.30 am ET, Statistics Sweden publishes retail sales and foreign trade data for February. Sales had increased 3.4 percent on month in January.

At 5.00 am ET, Germany’s ifo institute is set to issue business confidence survey results. Economists forecast the business sentiment index to rise to 93.2 in March from 92.4 in February.

In the meantime, Italy’s Istat releases business and consumer sentiment survey data. The business confidence index is seen at 99.4 in March, up from 99.0 in February.

Joe Biden said he plans to run for reelection in 2024 and ‘would fully expect’ Kamala Harris to be running mate

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has been in office a little more than two months, but he said he’s already planning to run for a second term in 2024.

“Yes, my plan is to run for reelection,” he said during his first formal news conference as president Thursday. “That’s my expectation.”

Biden said he also “would fully expect” that Vice President Kamala Harris would remain on the ticket as his running mate for a second term.

“She’s a great partner,” he said.

Biden, 78, became the oldest president in history when he took office in January. 

Biden was asked Thursday whether he would defeat former President Donald Trump in a rematch of the 2020 race. 

“Oh I don’t even think about it,” he said. “I have no idea.”

Contributing: Associated Press

Priti Patel slams 'thugs' at 'Kill the Bill' protest after night of violence

Opinion: NCAA’s gender equity problems can be solved with common sense, not lawyers

All you need to know about how broken the NCAA is as an organization, how disconnected it is from the people it is supposed to serve and how aloof its leadership has become is that its response Thursday to the weeklong public relations crisis over equity issues between the men’s and women’s basketball tournament was … more billable hours? 

Apparently, the NCAA has never met a problem it couldn’t spend money on expensive lawyers to solve — even one that is pretty simple to understand and even simpler to fix. 

With all that brainpower in NCAA headquarters — contrary to the caricature of the place, most of the people who work there are bright and care deeply about doing their jobs well — you wouldn't think it necessary to hire New York law firm Kaplan Hecker to commission an expensive report about whether your championship tournaments have gender equity gaps after issues were made public by women’s basketball players and coaches last week. 

Prophet Muhammad cartoon 'had been shown to pupils at school before'

Woman in her 20s 'falls from flat balcony' in London

Philadelphia’s Dwight Howard receives NBA title ring, ejected in same night

It was a night of ups and downs for Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard.

The good: He returned to the Staples Center Thursday night and earned his championship ring from his time with the Los Angeles Lakers last year on their journey through the NBA Finals. Also, the 76ers won the game, 109-101.

The bad: He didn't get to the second quarter and was ejected.

"I just thought it was a very selfish play," 76ers coach Doc Rivers said of Howard. "You got one tech, you can't get another one. We just have to have better discipline. I get it. I know there's a lot of emotion. But we had one center on our team, and he got thrown out. I was not very happy with that one. I know it's an emotional game. But he's a veteran. We got to have better discipline."

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