Roku forecasts robust second-quarter revenue as some ad spending improves

(Reuters) -Roku Inc forecast second-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates on Wednesday on optimism that increased cord-cutting and a broader shift to ad-based streaming will boost business, sending its shares up about 4% in extended trading. The company’s ad-supported streaming platform has gained popularity with users trying to cut down on their discretionary spending. Moreover,…

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Xi holds first talks with Zelenskiy since Russian invasion of Ukraine

By Dan Peleschuk and Ethan Wang KYIV/BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, fulfilling a longstanding goal of Kyiv which had publicly sought such talks for months. Zelenskiy, describing the hour-long phone call as “long and meaningful”, signalled the importance…

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No near-term solution for US debt ceiling adds economic headwind -PIMCO

By Davide Barbuscia CHICAGO (Reuters) -A U.S. default is highly unlikely, but negotiations around the debt ceiling are expected to be protracted, Daniel Ivascyn, chief investment officer at U.S. bond giant Pacific Investment Management Co (PIMCO), said on Wednesday. Speaking at a Morningstar investment conference in Chicago, Ivascyn said prolonged uncertainty around the U.S. debt…

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Tech powers Nasdaq gains; recession fears weigh on cyclicals, dollar

By Stephen Culp NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Nasdaq rose and the dollar weakened on Wednesday as investors weighed solid company earnings against weaker-than-expected economic data and ongoing wrangling in Washington over raising the debt ceiling. While surging tech shares helped the Nasdaq hold positive territory, the S&P 500 and the Dow were weighed down…

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New image reveals violent events near a supermassive black hole

By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Expanding upon the historic first images of black holes, scientists on Wednesday unveiled the first picture showing the violent events unfolding around one of these ravenous cosmic behemoths, including the launching point of a colossal jet of high-energy particles shooting outward into space. The new image was obtained using…

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Exclusive-US allowed JPMorgan payment route for Russian grain export

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The United States gave JPMorgan permission to process payments for agricultural exports via the Russian Agricultural Bank, but the arrangement was no substitute for reconnecting the bank to the SWIFT system, two Russian sources told Reuters. Access to the SWIFT payment system for the Russian Agricultural Bank is one of Moscow’s main demands…

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