Chicago Daily Chronicle

Liberty Mutual has found itself in the red, with the insurance group announcing losses not only in the third quarter but also in the nine months ended September 30. According to the latest set of financial results released by Liberty Mutual Holding Company and its subsidiaries (LMHC), the net loss attributable to LMHC in the third quarter amounted to $353 million, while the net loss attributable to LMHC in the first nine months stood at $198 million. In the same periods in 2021, the firm enjoyed earnings. Pointing to the culprits, Liberty Mutual chair and chief executive David H. Long said: “Elevated catastrophe losses and continued investment market volatility drove a net loss attributable to LMHC of $353 million in the quarter. Pre-tax net catastrophe losses in the quarter were $1.4 billion including $835 million from Hurricane Ian. “The devastation left behind is a very real reminder of our purpose, and we are focused on supporting our impacted policyholders. Our limited partn...

GP: JPMorgan office S3studio | Getty Images News | Getty Images SINGAPORE — Banks have to prioritize consumer protection as they embark on digital asset experiments, said Umar Farooq, chief executive officer of JPMorgan’s blockchain unit Onyx. Many blockchain projects and other crypto protocols have the potential to make financial services more efficient, accessible and affordable. But without proper precautions, they could also expose customers to cybersecurity risks. In recent months, many crypto investors have been struck by hacks and scams. For example, crypto exchange Binance was hit by a $570 million hack in October and Deribit lost $28 million in a hot wallet hack this month. “What a bank needs to do from a regulatory point of view and customer’s point of view is that we need to protect our customers. We cannot lose their money,” Farooq said during a panel at the Singapore Fintech Festival 2022 on Wedneday. “I do think you need some sort of identity solution or know-yo...

The author, who was long active in Christian ministry and is a seeker deep inside, delivers an enlightening and captivating philosophical narrative to teach a thing or two about inner peace and abundance. San Diego, CA, USA – WEBWIRE – Friday, November 4, 2022 “Enlivened with a sense of humor, it’s fun to read.” BlueInk Review “Commentaries on the Book of Wisdom” (ReadersMagnet; 2022) by Russell Marlett is equal parts inspirational and equals part philosophy. It bears the underlying message that one could attain love, inner peace, and abundance when in a journey and find them in the most unexpected and unlikely place. The book is told in first person perspectives. The first part tells of the narrator’s discovery of thirty-two eight-line verses that his late great-aunt’s brother, Ezra, had received from a spirit in the Guatemalan jungles many years prior. This is then expanded in the second part of the book in the form of a story that tells the interaction between Ezra an...

Club holding Starbucks (SBUX) reported strong fiscal fourth-quarter results after the closing bell Thursday, giving us confidence that demand can endure the softness in the global economy and China’s continued adherence to its zero-Covid policy. Revenue advanced to a quarterly record of $8.4 billion, exceeding expectations of $8.31 billion. Adjusted earnings-per-share came in at 81 cents, outpacing the 72-cent consensus. The stock rose more than 2% in after-hours trading as management reaffirmed their long-term guidance provided in September, which members will recall surprised the investors because of how strong it was. Bottom Line While China’s rolling Covid lockdowns and restrictions remain a headwind, management’s confidence in the long-term outlook for the region was unwavering, with the team commenting on the post-earnings call that their “aspirations for our business in China has never been greater .” The company opened its 6,000th China location in September and continues t...

Microsoft How often have you been in the middle of clearing off your desktop by deleting a bunch of unused files, only for Windows to tell you that it’s in use by another program? Except that Windows often doesn’t tell you which program is using it, so you shrug like John Travolta in that one Pulp Fiction scene. The latest addition to the immanently useful PowerToys collection can fix that problem. The File Locksmith tool is available in the latest version of the program, v0.64.0 . Microsoft Using the tool is super easy. In Windows Explorer, right-click the file that’s obstinately refusing to be deleted (or in use in any other way), then click “What’s using this file?” The File Locksmith tool will then give you a list of executables that are actively accessing the file, including handy info on the process ID and user. You also get a quick “End task” button, so you don’t have to dive into the Task Manager to tell the program to buzz off. Microsoft’s PowerToys is quic...

It’s now easier for Chicago voters to cast an early ballot in the Nov. 8 general election, with polling sites opening Monday in all 50 wards. Dozens more early voting sites opened in suburban Cook County, as well, giving area residents more than 100 places to cast early ballots. The ward sites are in addition to the Supersite in the Loop, at 191 N. Clark St., and the Chicago Board of Elections office, 69 W. Washington St. Both opened Oct. 7. All early voting locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays, according Marisel Hernandez, chair of the election board. Early voting sites will keep those hours through Nov. 7. All but the board of elections site will remain open on Election Day, as well, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. An early voting site at the Bucktown branch of the Chicago Public Library. That location and dozens of others opened across Chicago and Cook County on Monday. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times ...

AmTrust Financial Services has acquired the middle market management liability business of DUAL North America. The deal includes its DUAL’s underwriting team and renewal rights. Seven DUAL professionals will join AmTrust’s EXEC unit. DUAL North America’s management liability practice is a nationwide admitted program for both for-profit and not-for-profit entities. The portfolio includes directors & officers’ (D&O) liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, and crime coverage. DUAL North America is specialty program administrator offering property, casualty, and financial lines products. It is part of the DUAL Group, a global underwriting organization operating from 19 countries. New York-based AmTrust offers specialty property and casualty insurance products, including workers’ compensation, business owner’s policy (BOP), general liability and extended service and warranty coverage. “This acquisition represents an excellent, complementary addition to...