Twelve South's ButterFly SE is an ultra-portable 2-in-1 magnetic charging station that powers mixed-port devices in one place.

Zillow reports that homeowners are getting creative to make housing more affordable by using gift ... [+] money, co-buying and househacking.ZillowTodays global housing crisis has city leaders, federal governments and real estate stakeholders all pointing fingers in different directions to provide new housing solutions at a manageable cost.Some innovative models take a different approach sharing. Sharing isnt unique, but in some cases, can provide a unique opportunity for better cost absorption, whether its roommates sharing space, or various functions sharing a space.These innovators are re-imagining spaces to be more thoughtful, to deliver more value to residents, and to deliver value to the community at large.Home Sharing By The NumbersAs buyers and renters look for affordable living options, more are forced into being resourceful with new practices like househacking or renting out part of their home to offset monthly costs.Zillow reports that 31% of recent new construction home buyers used a loan or gift from friends or family, 19% are co-buying with a friend or relative, and 34% said househacking was a major consideration when they purchased.Zillow also reports that there are about 21 million homes where older residents dont have children yet have at least two extra bedrooms. This has primed a trend of coliving. Noelle Marcus, founded the coliving company Nesterly, after discovering more than 54 million empty spare bedrooms across the U.S.ApartmentList also reports that nearly 60% of U.S. homes have at least one spare bedroom. And, while many homeowner associations and condo rules dont allow renting out a room in ones home, many are seizing the day to make their hometown more affordable, even as costs continue to escalate.In New York City, singles pay an average of $20,100 more per year to live alone according to an analysis from real estate platforms StreetEasy and Zillow that calculated the additional cost a person pays to live solo in a one-bedroom apartment rather than sharing that space with a partner.Zillow reports that the cost of living if shared can be much more affordable. ZillowCouples who live together in a one-bedroom apartment in New York City save a combined average of $40,200 per year on rent. Other cities with expensive rent, like San Francisco, San Jose, California and Boston, also come with additional costs for a single occupant, but paying to live alone in New York tops the list.Nationwide, the typical annual savings for a pair of cohabitating renters is $15,123. Thats more than $25,000 lower than the New York City average.Home Sharing Social ExperienceWith these numbers in mind and the fact that American is aging--1 in 6 Americans will be older than 65 by 2030--homesharing models offer a way to address the senior housing crunch and the broader housing shortage at the same time.One such program, HomeShare Vermont, matches extra space in older adults homes with individuals in need of housing, to provide not only a more affordable housing option, but also companionship, said Connor Timmons, the groups executive director.Guests assigned a room in the program may provide some household support, such as snow shoveling, transportation, or a just-in-case presence, in exchange for reduced rent. Hosts can charge a maximum monthly rent of $650 and request up to 12 hours of service per week, though 25% of hosts dont ask for rent at all.The average rent in a homesharing match was just $359. Compared with average market rents, HomeShare guests saved more than $807,000 in rental expenses.The program is working in eight counties in Vermont and the organization plans to grow it to reach all across the state within seven years. Last fiscal year, HomeShare Vermont had 274 Vermonters in matches. HomeShare guests provided about 30,400 hours of assistance to hosts last year, which represents a savings of more than $544,000 versus hiring help for specific tasks. Plus, low-income hosts received more than $354,000 in rental income to help them make ends meet."Building housing is expensive and can be slowed in a variety of ways that are outside of elected officials or developers control," Timmons said. Local officials should look at the low cost of setting up a 3 to 5 year stable of funding for starting up homesharing programs. I know plenty of Michiganers who check in on their neighbors during a snowstorm. This isnt magic, its compassion and awareness of the crisis were in. Developers are not going to save us from this challenge. Technology isnt going to either. Its going to take neighbors, friends, and families to look around and say we can do better for each other.Functional Home SharingWZMH has created a concept to rebuild urban libraries to add housing and network hubs. WZMH Zenon Radewych is principal at the architecture firm WZMH and has delivered two concepts to his native city of Toronto to address the housing crisis by adapting existing spaces.First is the HUBS program that connects housing, urban libraries and servers. HUBS reimagines urban library locations as mixed-use spaces with housing, modernized libraries, and AI-powered micro data centers to create a space where people can live, learn, and innovate.The idea is to take the space of the single-story public libraries in urban areas, and rebuild them by combining the three assets that would benefit from shared energy-efficient systems, meeting rooms, and data capabilities. In addition, if several libraries were rebuilt, it would form an interconnected system of AI servers, creating a community-centered micro data center network.With this concept, the city benefits from the additional housing, plus modernizes library infrastructure without direct public funding, therefore addressing the rising costs of maintaining aging library facilities, which can require significant repairs and big dollar signs.Replacing these facilities with new, energy-efficient buildings reduces long-term operational costs, Radewych wrote. The community gets improved technology and learning resources and creative, cohesive urban spaces. Plus, businesses get affordable data hosting and AI services.More Functional Home SharingAnother concept from WZMH puts unused school parking lots to work with more housing and networking ... [+] hubs.WZMH Elevate is another concept from the WZMH team that converts school parking lots into much more. It proposes putting housing on stilts above the parking to retain the parking lots, renting the parking on the evenings and weekends and adding an AI server to the housing complex.In Toronto, where the concept is being proposed, 90% of the school parking lots are in need of repair due to more than 40-year-old asphalt that is cracking, and that has poor drainage. Plus, the parking lots mostly sit empty in the evenings, weekends and parts of the summer, which presents a revenue opportunity to have paid parking at times that it isnt used by the school.Elevate ensures that these parking lots, which are often underfunded and deteriorating, are modernized and maintained by developers, alleviating financial strain on school boards while addressing critical urban challenges, states the firms proposal. With the public-private partnership, schools could lease land to developers for $1 per year for 100 years.The raised housing can go up quickly and easily because it will not need the infrastructure for basements. The housing and the AI server rooms would be above grade while new, covered parking is placed at ground level.Plus, the AI servers could not only support the school by providing resources for education and technology, but also could generate external revenue and attract high tech partners.The AI server would sit in either a secure 15 x 15 climate-controlled room within the building or as a roof-mounted submersible cooling unit, to allow for efficient operation while minimizing space and energy demands.In the case of multiple schools being revamped, each AI server could connect to a city-wide network of servers managed by a technology provider.This decentralized infrastructure provides powerful computational resources, benefiting educational institutions, local businesses, and researchers while generating revenue, said Radewych. By leveraging the combined power of interconnected AI servers, this network fosters innovation, learning, and technological advancement within communities.WZMH envisions the housing with cool roofing and green technologies like solar panels to offset housing energy needs, reduce urban heat, and contribute to sustainability.Executing On Home SharingWhile these ideas of sharing are becoming more widely accepted, they still care not an easy slam dunk. They require careful consideration and, at the same time, most require a thoughtful private-public partnership.But, sharing is caring and home sharing is double caring.

Pokemon GONianticOne of my fondest memories in gaming history was the first two weeks after the launch of Pokmon GO, where you could literally walk down the street and find dozens of players all catching wild Pokmon in a phenomenon I have never seen before or since. But now, its the start of a new era.Niantic, the publisher of Pokmon GO, has now sold the game to a new company, the Saudi-owned Scopely, divorcing itself from far and away its most successful product in its lifespan in addition to other parts of its gaming division. The price was $3.5 billion, also includes Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now, and no doubt Niantic will be celebrating that new cash influx.Scopely is the publisher of another GO-based game, Monopoly GO, which you may not have heard of, but you would be out of step with the general public if so, because the game is the fastest mobile title to hit $3 billion in revenue worldwide. Its a monster.Pokemon GONianticSo, whats changing with Pokmon GO? Because this was literally announced today, alongside no specific concrete changes to the game, we dont know. But we do have information that could tell us what direction things may be heading.The current development team working on Pokmon GO is moving over to Scopely as part of the sale, so its not like its a totally clean house and all new devs are being brought in that dont know the game.Additionally, Pokmon is still owned byThe Pokmon Company, notoriously protective over the IP and any significant changes to a flagship game like this would have to run through them, as Scopely will not have free reign to do whatever they want with the game.But there are risks with being linked to Scopely now. Monopoly GO and other Scopely games like Marvel Strike Force have made so much money in part because of its breadth of monetization, and players are worried that may be increased when the game moves over to try with more attempts to extract money from fans. Its not impossible Scopely just wants it to print money like it has been, but it almost seems more likely theyll want to extract even more out of it. After all, they just paid a giant chunk of their GO revenue to buy it, after all.Fans are understandably on edge with this development, as change is often bad, and a change like this? Theyre going to want some reassurance that the GO and its monetization are not about to be dramatically overhauled.Follow me , and .Pick up my sci-fi novels the and

In a nutshell: A new cyber threat tactic has emerged, leveraging social engineering to trick users into infecting their own systems with malware. Recently highlighted by Malwarebytes, this method disguises malicious tools as CAPTCHA requests. In reality, these files often media or HTML-based are designed to steal personal information or function as remote access trojans. The attack typically begins when visitors to a website are prompted to verify they are not robots, a common practice that rarely raises suspicion. However, instead of a standard CAPTCHA challenge, users encounter a series of seemingly harmless steps that are actually part of a sophisticated scam.The instructions might read: "To better prove you are not a robot, please press and hold the Windows Key + R, paste the verification code by pressing Ctrl + V, and then press Enter to complete verification." These steps are designed to execute a malicious command.Behind the scenes, the website uses JavaScript to copy a command to the user's clipboard. This is possible because, in Chromium-based browsers, websites can write to the clipboard with the user's permission. However, Windows assumes this permission was granted when the user checked the "I am not a robot" checkbox, creating an opportunity for exploitation.The command pasted into the Run dialog box appears to be a simple verification message but is actually a trigger for the mshta command, which downloads a malicious file from a remote server. This file is often disguised as a media file, such as an MP3 or MP4, but contains an encoded PowerShell command that silently retrieves and executes the actual malware payload.The malware payloads used in these attacks include Lumma Stealer and SecTopRAT, both designed to extract sensitive data from infected systems. The attack is particularly effective because it exploits user trust in CAPTCHA verification processes, posing a risk even to those who are generally cautious online.To mitigate these threats, MalwareBytes advises users to be wary of instructions from unfamiliar websites. Using an active anti-malware solution that blocks malicious websites and scripts is essential. Additionally, browser extensions that block known scam domains can provide an extra layer of defense.While disabling JavaScript can prevent clipboard hijacking, it may also disrupt functionality on many websites. A more practical approach, as recommended by MalwareBytes, is to use different browsers for different purposes reserving one specifically for visiting less trusted sites. // Related Stories

In context: The Radeon RX 9070 XT stands out as one of the best gaming graphics cards on the market, particularly for those seeking top performance at a great value. While the standard version generally matches the RTX 5070 in most games, DIY modders have discovered that overclocked variants can achieve real-world performance comparable to the RTX 5080 with some fine-tuning. Testing by renowned overclockers Der8auer and Alva Jonathan shows that undervolting the RX 9070 XT while increasing its power limit can significantly boost clock speeds, leading to a notable performance gain. Undervolting reduces power consumption at a given clock speed. This keeps thermals in check and can enable higher core frequencies without excessive heat buildup.Both YouTubers had similar results with the undervolted RX 9070 XT. Der8auer used an overclocked PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil for his tests, initially increasing the power limit to 360W and boosting the clock frequency to 3.1GHz.After undervolting the card by 200mV, he was able to push the clock speed to 3.4GHz, but this configuration proved unstable. Der8auer then reduced the undervolting to 170mV, which resulted in a stable setup. Under these conditions, the card achieved an average of 66fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K Ultra with ray tracing disabled. In comparison, the RTX 5080 achieved 65fps using the same settings, while the RTX 4080 managed only 56fps.Alva Jonathan used the factory-overclocked ASRock RX 9070 Steel Legend for his tests. After similar undervolting and power adjustments, the card reached a stable overclock frequency comparable to Der8auer's PowerColor setup, resulting in a 10 percent fps improvement.Despite the significant performance boost from undervolting, it's not all positive news for enthusiasts. Overclocking the core clock, memory clock, and voltage of the RX 9070 XT remains a frustrating endeavor. Der8auer's testing suggests that overclocking the memory clock actually results in slower performance compared to stock settings, leading him to conclude that "overclocking is completely broken on the RX 9070 XT." // Related StoriesThis limited overclocking headroom implies that the OC models are likely already operating near their architectural limits. However, it is still impressive that the $600-$800 RX 9070 XT OC units can compete on even terms with the $1,000 RTX 5080 with just a few tweaks. Now, if AMD can only ensure steady supply and curb the excessive markups by retailers.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHitting where it hurtsHow old?The SE curse?Bring on the Apple Watch Series 10eApple isnt very quick to update its lower cost products, but theres one model which badly needs its attention: the Apple Watch SE. The companys willingness to let the SE languish for several years is now affecting its bottom line, and when the Apple Watch Series 11 arrives later this year, an Apple Watch SE 3 needs to be there alongside it.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsIn 2024 shipments of Apple Watch models declined by 19% compared to 2023, according to Counterpoint Research, and a quote in the report stated, The slowdown of the existing Apple Watch SE lineup and the lack of new SE models contributed to the decline. While the entire smartwatch industry slowed over the same period, Apple saw the largest fall in shipments, which points to something being awry with its current product range.Recommended VideosThe Apple Watch SE first arrived at the end of 2020, and the second generation Apple Watch SE 2 came at the end of 2022. Two models isnt enough to fully establish a trend for release dates, but logically the Apple Watch SE 3 should have arrived at the end of 2024 with the Apple Watch Series 10. But here we are in March 2025, and no such smartwatch has come along.Related2024 was an odd year for the Apple Watch. While I love the Apple Watch Series 10, especially in titanium, Ill admit its not the biggest step forward in technology at least to the casual observer but at least a new model was released. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 only received a color update, rather than a new model entirely. With only one true new model in it, Apples smartwatch range sadly lacks life, and the Apple Watch SE 2 looks terribly old next to the Series 10 and Ultra 2.Apple Watch SE 2 (left) and Apple Watch Series 10 Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe Apple Watch SE 2 is based on an old Apple Watch design. This means a 40mm or 44mm case size, a smaller screen with larger bezels and half the brightness of the Apple Watch Series 10, and the dual-core S8 processor inside. There are fewer features in general, such as no always-on screen, ECG, or body temperature sensor, but these are to be expected considering it costs less than the Series 10, and Apple has to tempt you into upgrading somehow.When the Apple Watch Series 9 came out, there was still a good case for the Apple Watch SE 2 if you didnt want the always-on screen or ECG. Because the 10.7mm case thickness was identical between the two, you really only had to forgive the bezel size on the design front. This is much harder to do when you put the Series 10 next to the SE 2. The Apple Watch Series 10 is 9.7mm thick, and the reduction really notices on the wrist, plus the screens larger size and smaller bezels are very obvious.If nothing else, the Series 10 shows how far Apple has progressed with the Apple Watchs hardware. Some may have been disappointed the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch wasnt celebrated in an iPhone X-style way, but few can deny the refinements it did make have considerably improved how the top Apple Watch looks and wears. Unfortunately, it also highlights the SE 2s age.Apple iPhone 16e Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThe Apple Watch SE 2 isnt the only SE product Apple has left on the shelf for too long. The beginning of 2024 was dominated by anticipation for the Apple iPhone SE 3, which eventually arrived as the iPhone 16e. The iPhone SE (2022) came out in early 2022, and like the Apple Watch SE 2, was badly in need of an update. The iPhone 16e may not meet some of the higher expectations, but it has brought the design (and the name) in-line with the rest of Apples current range.New products, even when they arent to every tech geeks taste, drive sales. The iPhone 16e can happily live in the range for another two years, when if its sensible, Apple can replace it with an iPhone 17e. Very few normal people will look at the iPhone 16e and think its old and pass it by, but I do think even those not plugged into the world of tech will see a working Apple Watch SE 2 and not think its getting on a bit.We shouldnt expect an Apple Watch SE 3 to take the Series 10s case and screen, but if it took the Series 10s case it would sufficiently advance the design. Id love to see an always-on screen on a future SE, but its seems highly unlikely Apple will take a top selling point of its more expensive smartwatch and stick it on the cheapest. The screen and the more advanced health tech separate the two, and in many cases the SE model is a great purchase for a lot of people. But at the moment, its being held back because no-one should be buying a smartwatch first introduced two-and-a-half years ago.Titanium Apple Watch Series 10, Milanese Loop band, Reflections watch face Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsApple usually introduces new smartwatches with its new iPhone models, therefore we can expect the Apple Watch Series 11 to come with the iPhone 17 series. Theres very little discussion about an Apple Watch SE 3 at this point, outside of reports an SE 3 smartwatch will come later this year with a redesign along with the expected new processor. Compared to the amount of rumors that swirled around the Apple iPhone SE 3 for years ahead of its release, its practically silence.The iPhone 16e took a long time to arrive, so its hardly a shock the Apple Watch SE 2 wasnt updated at the end of 2024. Apples big chance comes at the end of 2025, when it should announce the update and even a new name Apple Watch Series 10e perhaps alongside the Series 11, the Ultra 3, and a host of new iPhone models including the already extensively discussed iPhone 17 Air. Itll be an event to look forward to, but it also means the Apple Watch SE 2 still has to sit, unloved, on the shelf for another six months.And no, you probably shouldnt buy one. Buy the Apple Watch Series 10 instead. Its fantastic.Editors Recommendations

On Tuesday, iRobot announced its most comprehensive lineup of new consumer products. However, today, Bloomberg reported that the company has raised substantial doubt in its earnings results about its ability to continue operating. This news follows Amazons decision last year to abandon its plans to acquire the Roomba maker after European regulators suggested they might block the deal.The company, which Amazon was planning to purchase for more than $1 billion, has a market value of less than $200 million as of Tuesday. The company is working on a formal strategic review to evaluate options to stay afloat. Its also amending its existing term loan and is having discussions with its primary lender.Recommended VideosIn the fourth quarter, iRobot reported revenue falling 44% year over year. The decline was attributed to promotional spending, order troubles with its largest customer, and ongoing competitive challenges. The company warned that its new product lineup might not turn the company around, citing competition, macroeconomic conditions, and tariff policies as ongoing concerns.Please enable Javascript to view this contentYesterday, iRobot announced eight new products, each priced under $1,000. This new lineup is designed to cater to a variety of budgets. Among the new offerings are two robot vacuums with auto-wash features, two traditional robot vacuums, two DustCompactor vacuums, a Combo Vac, and a Combo Robot with an Auto-Empty Dock. Additionally, the company revealed plans to update its iRobot Home companion app.Presales for the new products will begin on March 18.Founded in 1990, iRobot has led the home robot vacuum market for many years. However, in recent years, the company has faced challenges due to the emergence of new competitors offering more affordable alternatives. Notable among these competitors are Roborock, SharkNinja, Eufy by Anker, and others.It will be interesting to see the direction iRobot takes from this point forward. The company faced challenges before Amazons interest in potentially acquiring it. Perhaps the deal can be restructured to address regulators concerns about Amazon stifling competition, or iRobot might find another partner altogether. Another possibility is that the new product lineup resonates with consumers more than anticipated, leading to a rebound in iRobots revenues.Editors Recommendations

Anthony Romilio examines the slab at Biloela State High School in Queensland, AustraliaUniversity of QueenslandA slab of 200-million-year-old rock that has been on display for 20 years at a school in Queensland, Australia, contains 66 footprints from 47 individual dinosaurs.The rock was gifted to Biloela State High School by the nearby Callide mine, where it was found by coal miners. Although it was recognised as containing numerous dinosaur footprints, no one realised its true significance until a team led by Anthony Romilio at the University of Queensland visited the school. AdvertisementI could see there were a lot of dinosaur footprints, says Romilio. I knew it was a highly significant discovery.The slab is so heavy that it took several strong people to lift it into a position where it could be studied. Romilio also had to remove chewing gum that had been stuck onto it by school students.But it wasnt until he had cast a 3D silicon model, taken photographs and processed them that the full extent of the find was revealed.Unmissable news about our planet delivered straight to your inbox every month.Sign up to newsletterAs a palaeontologist, I knew I had found a very important specimen, says Romilio.Because no fossil bones were associated with the footprints and no dinosaur skeletons from the Early Jurassic Epoch have ever been found in Australia, it is impossible to know exactly which species left the tracks. However, the researchers have assigned them to Anomoepus scambus, an ichnospecies a species only known from trace fossils of things like footprints, nests and faeces Footprints on the rock are thought to have been made by small, plant-eating dinosaursUniversity of QueenslandBased on the size of the three-toed footprints, the researchers estimate that the dinosaurs would have had hip heights of between 20 and 76 centimetres and were walking at between 2 and 6 kilometres per hour.Theyre all small animals that made the footprints, says Romilio. They all seem to be the same type of two-legged plant-eating dinosaur.When the dinosaurs walked across the site, the ground would have been a silty surface under a shallow layer of water. Alongside the dinosaur prints, there are holes in the slab that were probably made by burrowing invertebrates.Journal reference:Historical Biology DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2025.2472153Topics:

2025-03-12T14:19:39Z Read in app Sophia Guiter, a participant in Balyasny's fall 2024 stock-picking competition, landed a summer 2026 internship at the hedge fund. Balyasny Asset Management This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? $23 billion hedge fund Balyasny has adoped a new approach to recruiting young talent.A stock contest serves as an early application pool for the firm's internship program.A former participant and two firm execs explain how to snag an invite and make a good impression.When Sophia Guiter arrived in New York City last October, it was her first time in the Big Apple.Despite the allure of Broadway, Times Square, and the city that never sleeps, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, college student had a bigger mission: making an impression on executives of the $23 billion asset manager Balyasny. She and two of her Marquette University classmates were set to compete in the firm's first-ever US stock pitching competition the next day.Guiter's focus paid off: Her team placed third, and she scored an interview that led to an internship with Balyasny's proprietary research team, set to start in 2026.Balyasny, meanwhile, has now adopted the competition as a regular part of its recruiting pipeline. It held a second stock-picking contest at the end of February and plans to host two such competitions a year in the US from now on.While only the first-place winners receive a $10,000 check, the top two teams, plus other standout students, are granted hard-to-get interviews for Balyasny internships. For example, six out of 15 participants from the February contest were interviewed for Balyasny's 2026 internship program."It's basically an early application pool for us, and we would love to be able to fill a good amount of our summer internship class via the stock pitch competition," said Hannah Dinardo, the firm's head of campus recruiting.Balyasny is just one of many "buy-side" firms ramping up campus recruitment that is, getting talent in the door earlier through internships versus waiting until they've had job experience. In the past, hedge funds and private equity firms recruited almost exclusively from investment banks. But campus recruiting has become increasingly important to the sector, which has ballooned in size in recent years due to growing interest in their investments."Having a cohort of young talent I don't want to say that it's inexpensive, but it's an earlier investment," explained Steve Schurr, a Balyasny portfolio manager who conceived of the stock-picking competition as a talent pipeline. Today, most of Schurr's 10-person team counts Balyasny as their first job out of college, he said.Guiter, Schurr, and Dinardo sat down with Business Insider to give their advice on how college students interested in a finance career can get invited to the competition and make an impression on the asset manager's top execs once there. Steve Schurr, senior managing director and portfolio manager at Balyasny, (left) in conversation with participants from the fall 2024 stock pitch competition. Balyasny Asset Management Inside the competitionHere's how it works: Balyasny recruiters, including Dinardo, identify campus clubs with students they can invite to submit stock pitches, which act as applications to the competition. The firm prioritizes sophomores.Pitches are reviewed blind, meaning the school names are withheld until the final selection round. Then, five schools are invited to and hosted in New York to participate in an in-person competition.At the event, student teams present their pitches to the judges who are also portfolio managers and the other teams for 10 minutes, followed by a seven-minute Q&A.In addition to traditional Wall Street target schools, Dinardo says the firm also aims to include lesser-known universities like Marquette University a small private school in Wisconsin. (The winners of the February competition hailed from The University of Alabama.)"It's such a great way to evaluate students' skill set through their work product and to really see how they're thinking about markets, how they're thinking about stocks, and just see them in a totally different light versus just a one-to-one interview," said Dinardo. "You're able to also, from a recruiting perspective, see how they stack up against their peers."Get strategically involved on campusKey to scoring an invite is being in the right college clubs."The competition as a whole has been really helpful for us to better understand where we're spending our time on campus and which groups really align well with what we're looking for," Dinardo said.She advises students whose groups aren't yet on their radar to hone in the club's educational program and mission."Think about the curriculum of the club. Is it a group where students by their sophomore year are going to be prepared to compete and participate in a competition like this?" she said, adding: "Are they well versed in diligencing an idea soup to nuts and from start to finish being able to build out a stock pitch and an investment pitch?"In choosing which clubs to work with, Dinardo also looks at a club's relationship with its members, preferring a loyal base versus a handful of students aiming to fill out their resumes."A one-semester engagement opportunity on campus to build out your resume and get on an email distro list. I would say that's typically what we try to avoid," she said.Put in the hoursIt can be hard to juggle classes, jobs, friends, and other club commitments, but Guiter advises students prioritize the stock-picking competition if they want to succeed."We were putting in over 80 hours a week, especially that last week," Guiter said. I mean, we'd wake up in the morning and we would work on that until we went to bed. We were really focused on it and really wanted to stand out to the judges and come as prepared as possible."She had never worked so hard on anything in her time as a student."It was definitely the most I've ever juggled on my plate at one time, but worth every minute of it."Practice getting 'grilled'Rehearse presenting your ideas and answering questions as much and as often as possible."Don't show up and have only practiced your pitch like, three times," Guiter said.She and her team did multiple run-throughs in front of their entire investment club and professors."We'd go up during class or have Friday pitches where people would come, and they would just grill us," she said. "There was a time where it went on for an hour and a half."Ahead of the competition, the top five teams get a 45-minute pitch revision session with members of Balyasny's analyst development team to prepare for the final event and get a better sense of the types of questions they might be probed on. Bill Wappler (left), partner and director of research at Balyasny, with other members of the Balyasny judging team. Balyasny Asset Management Think of ways to be differentBalyasny doesn't give students tight parameters for picking a stock, just a market cap amount. So when thinking about which equity they'd showcase, Guiter and her team went for something they thought would be a less popular choice: a healthcare stock."We wanted to branch out from the tech and AI space because we figured a lot of our competitors would choose a stock within that space," she said. "We wanted to differentiate within a market that has a lot of research that we could build off of."Indeed, the skill set required to be a successful equity investor is "evolving rapidly," said Schurr."You need to have a high degree of creative intelligence. You need to be a really independent thinker, but you also have to have an adaptive mindset," he said.Guiter and her team used ChatGPT to assist with the extensive research project and show they could harness technology."We analyzed how often management fulfilled their promises by analyzing 10 years of earning calls," she said.Focus on processLooking back, Guiter said her group should've included more details about the time spent on the project as well as their research approach when delivering their 10-minute pitch. It's something she now encourages other students to do.Indeed, Shurr (who was a judge at her competition) said he is looking to hear about research processes and conclusions that say something interesting. Even if the judges don't agree with the stock call, this will give them insight into the process.Schurr added that successful teams "did a deep amount of interesting and variant work and could articulate their thoughts quite well about the nature of the business and where they believe the perception was misplaced," he said. "And they could show their work."This focus helps him and other PMs determine the competition winners and identify which students to invite to Super Days."Really what you're trying to do with this is not identify one great idea, you're trying to identify someone who has an innate strength as a sleuth to go and dig for information in a unique way," he said.

Is Donald Trump tanking the economy?The stock market has taken a beating, giving up six months of gains. Several economic indicators consumer confidence, GDP estimates have gotten gloomier. All signs point to the main culprit being Trump and his trade war obsession. The markets have spoken loud and clear that they hate Trumps tariffs. Even more than the tariff levels themselves, it may be the uncertainty over what Trump will do that is driving fear among investors, since this makes it very difficult to do business planning.Still, while it seems clear Trump is making the economy worse, its not yet clear just how much worse hes making it. There is more to life and the US economy than Trump and the stock market, and several major indicators continue to suggest things are in decent shape.The economy Trump inherited from Joe Biden was in generally good shape but it had some lingering problems and potential trouble signs: There were fears about inflation returning (which spurred the Fed to keep interest rates high), GDP growth slowing, stocks and particularly tech and AI stocks being overvalued, and a continuing housing market slump.The good times kept rolling for about Trumps first month in office, when it remained unclear how serious hed be about his absurd-sounding tariff proposals. But as it gradually sunk in that the whole country was now strapped in to Mr. Trumps Wild Tariff Ride, the vibes shifted. Consumer confidence took a steep decline in surveys released in late February, in large part due to tariff fears.The markets took an even more dramatic turn. On February 21, stocks began falling, and they have continued falling ever since. In the past 18 days, the major stock indexes Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, the NASDAQ erased the past six months of gains.Obviously, if this trend continues, that would not be good.Broader economic indicators, though, tell a story of some weakening but not yet a disaster.That can be seen in jobs numbers for February, which still looked fine. It can be seen in GDP growth estimates for the current quarter. This week Goldman Sachs downgraded their estimate from 2.4 percent to 1.7 percent, which is some weakening, but not yet the negative number that would foretell a recession. And the CPI (consumer price index) data for February suggested inflation isnt yet roaring back despite some fears. (The important caveat there is that Trumps tariffs, which will push many prices higher, largely hadnt been imposed yet.)In other words, the economy seems so far to mostly be holding up despite Trumps messiness. But will this continue to be the case? In theory, Trump could be acting to reassure the markets, but in practice hes been doing the opposite. In an interview last weekend, he sounded unperturbed by the possibility of a recession, saying there would be a period of transition as he imposed his economic agenda. He has a new and even more sweeping round of tariffs planned for April 2. Where will his wild ride take us next?See More: Politics