Articles written by Phil Hall - Benzinga

5 Worst Celebrity Spokespersons Of All Time: From Madonna To Lebron

The first example of a celebrity endorsing a product came in 1850 when flamboyant showman P.T. Barnum imported the Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind and arranged for her name and likeness to be associated with a wide range of products including clothing, furniture and pianos.

Home Builder Confidence Sinks As Sales Drop 17.6% From Last Year

Two new data reports released Monday morning are pointing to rising problems impacting the U.S. housing market.

Disney Gains More Streaming Subscribers From Hulu Than Disney+: What You Need To Know

The Walt Disney Co.’s (NYSE: DIS) fastest-growing U.S. streaming service is not the eponymous jewel in its digital crown, but an asset it picked up as part of an acquisition three years ago.

Annual Foreign Investment In US Home Sales Up 8.5% To $59 Billion

Global investors are paying record prices for U.S. residential real estate. What Happened: According to new data from the National Association of Realtors, international buyers purchased $59 billion worth of U.S. residential properties between April 2021 and March 2022, up 8.5% from the same period one year earlier.

Analysis: Could Elon Musk's Telsa Be Out Of Business Within 10 Years?

The second quarter of this year was a jackpot-smashing time for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA). According to data from Cox Automotive, Tesla was not only the top-selling brand in the U.S.

Weakening 'Thor' Muscles Out 'Crawdads' And 'Paws' At Weekend Box Office

“Thor: Love and Thunder” lost audience love and box office thunder during its second week in U.S. theatrical release, but it nonetheless held its position as the top attraction with moviegoers over the weekend.

10 Weirdest Ice Cream Flavors Of All Time: Horse Flesh? Gin And Tonic? Irish Brown Bread?

July 17 is National Ice Cream Day, a commemoration signed into law in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan via a proclamation that declared ice cream to be ‘‘a nutritious and wholesome food enjoyed by over 90% of the people in the United States.’’

Which Country Is The Favorite (And Least Favorite) New Home For Expatriates?

Many people have dreamed of packing it all up and moving to another country to begin a new professional and personal life. According to InterNations, an online expatriate community platform, Mexico is the best place to start anew overseas and Kuwait is the worst.

Can You Guess Which City Is The Year's Top Tech Talent Market?

To the surprise of perhaps no one, the San Francisco Bay Area was named the leading labor market for the U.S.-Canadian technology workforce in the Scoring Tech Talent 2022 report published by CBRE Group Inc (NYSE: CBRE).

Why Is The 'Where The Crawdads Sing' Author Wanted For Questioning In A 1995 Murder?

Sometimes, real life can be more interesting than reel life. Case in point: Delia Owens’ 2018 best-selling novel “Where the Crawdads Sing,” which focuses on the murder trial of a teenage girl in 1969 North Carolina, opens in theaters today via Sony Pictures (NYSE: SONY).

47% Of Small Business Owners Fear They'll Be Closed For Good In The Fall: Report

The U.S. small business community has seen the near future — and nearly half of don’t see themselves continuing to operate in it.

Why 40% Of Monthly U.S. Food Budgets Are Spent On Restaurants: Report

The record-high inflation level has yet to take a bite out of Americans’ dining out habits, as a new survey from Popmenu found that 40% of individual or family food budgets in the U.S. is spent on restaurants each month.

Disney's Malaysian Malaise: Why Can't You See 'Thor: Love And Thunder' In Kuala Lumpur?

The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) has yet another controversy over one of its films, this time involving the new Marvel Cinematic Universe movie “Thor: Love and Thunder” and its theatrical release in Malaysia.

Never-Before-Seen Van Gogh Painting Found Through X-Ray Of Museum Piece

Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about Vincent van Gogh, a hitherto unknown painting by the brilliantly doomed artist emerged — although bringing it to public view might prove tricky.

Lawmaker Warns San Francisco Faces 'Public Health Mess' Over Monkeypox Vaccine Shortage

A California state legislator representing the Bay Area declared San Francisco is "veering toward a public health mess" after the city’s Department of Public Health acknowledged it is running out of monkeypox vaccine and will have to shutter one of its clinics until the supply is replenished.

Ivana Trump, First Wife And Business Partner Of Donald Trump, Dies At 73

Ivana Trump, the Czechoslovakian-born first wife of Donald Trump who worked as a partner in his rise to fame and fortune in New York City’s commercial real estate world, passed away at the age of 73.

Japanese Yen At 24-Year Low Against US Dollar: What You Need To Know

Japanese currency markets are in a new state of tumult as the yen hit a 24-year low against the U.S dollar.

Amazon Quietly Backs Right-Wing Lobbying Group Targeting Tech Antitrust Legislation: Report

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) has poured more than $1 million into a lobbying effort seeking to block the passage of antitrust legislation aimed at major U.S. technology companies.

Housing Beat: Mortgage Rates Soar Again, Non-QM Rides On, The Best And Worst Rental Markets

The renewed rise in mortgage rates, a major mortgage-backed securities deal featuring non-qualified mortgages and a cooling in rental housing prices dominated this week's housing and mortgage market news.

BREAKING: Twitter Crashes Thursday Morning

Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) went down Thursday morning, with users being disconnected from the social media giant’s website and app.