Technology

This Week in Finance News: 11 Stories You Need to See

Published

2 years ago

October 18, 2024

A roundup of the most newsworthy financial press releases from PR Newswire this week, including ADP’s acquisition of WorkForce Software, Elliott’s new podcast and the RE/MAX September housing report.

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help finance journalists and consumers stay on top of the week’s most newsworthy and popular releases, here’s a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn’t be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

ADP Acquires WorkForce Software
“As the needs of today’s global workforce continue to shift, employers need dynamic workforce management solutions that will help them maintain compliance and flexibility while engaging their employees,” said Maria Black, president and CEO of ADP.Financial Aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton Leave Many Americans Struggling to Recover
The average expense for basic hurricane supplies alone is estimated to be in the hundreds, but the true cost of these natural disasters is often far greater. Widespread power outages, gas shortages, and severe flooding have caused countless businesses to close, leading to a ripple effect of lost wages and financial hardship across multiple states.Brex and Navan Partner to Launch Next-Generation Travel Management and Card Solution for Enterprises
This integrated business travel and payments solution brings together Navan’s world-class travel services and Brex’s industry-leading global corporate cards. BrexPay for Navan streamlines travel payments into one workflow when using the Navan travel management system.Elliott Launches “Stronger Southwest” Podcast Featuring 1:1 Conversations with Its World-Class Director Nominees
The first episode features Nominee Gregg Saretsky, who has significant leadership and industry experience stemming from his nearly 40-year career in aviation. Mr. Saretsky discusses his early years in the industry as well as lessons learned from his time as CEO of WestJet.GenAI in Insurance: 3 key takeaways from a global industry survey
A new SAS study exploring the use of generative AI in insurance suggests that 9 in 10 insurers plan to invest in GenAI in the next year. The enthusiasm is palpable – but survey data also shows that the ethical and regulatory implications of innovation continue to vex many insurers, even as analytic ingenuity promises to help the sector address its biggest challenges.Fannie Mae’s ‘Expanded Housing Choice’ Initiative Extends to All Eligible Jurisdictions Nationwide, Includes New Enhancements
“Many Housing Choice Voucher holders are from historically underserved communities, and bringing a program to the greater market that enables increased access to sustainable housing for renters while producing benefits for property owners is a prime example of Fannie Mae’s innovation at work,” said Michele Evans, Executive Vice President and Head of Multifamily, Fannie Mae.Confidence Levels in Cash and Liquidity Management are Down 9.5% Since 2020
Company leaders remain largely confident in their organizations’ abilities to manage cash and liquidity, despite a 9.5% decline in sentiment from 2020 polling and a moderate year-over-year increase in labor market concerns. Business leaders are leaning into Generative AI as a potential solution to enhancing working capital.RE/MAX National Housing Report for September 2024
“While we’re seeing a slight cooling in sales, it’s encouraging to note that home inventory has been steadily increasing, giving buyers more options in the market,” said RE/MAX, LLC President Amy Lessinger.S&P Global: Emerging Markets Set to Drive Global Economic Growth in the Next Decade
By 2035, emerging markets will play a crucial role in shaping the global economy, contributing about 65% of global economic growth. While supportive demographics, abundant natural resources, evolving trade dynamics and technological innovations in energy and manufacturing could propel their development, geopolitics, climate change and limits to frictionless trade and globalization could add complexities.Openstream.ai Granted New Patent for Multimodal AI System that Eliminates Hallucinations
This innovation enhances its AI platform, Eva (Enterprise Virtual Assistant), by using a unique combination of neuro-symbolic AI to prevent AI hallucinations—errors where AI generates false or misleading information. This ensures the AI operates based on known facts, providing clear and transparent responses without the risks associated with traditional AI models.Kearney Consumer Institute Releases 4th Consumer Stress Index: Q3 Consumer stress levels are surprisingly stable, but concerns lurk below the surface
The Q3 report finds that U.S. consumers have increasingly expressed concerns over their ability to lower their cost of living, a concern echoed by consumers in France. Despite inflation easing, consumers continue to feel stretched, borne out by several top retailers reducing prices and bundling discounts—a sign that consumer reactions to market changes are not immediate.

For more news like this, check out all of the latest finance-related releases from PR Newswire.

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Helping Journalists Stay Up to Date on Industry News

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SOURCE PR Newswire

Technology

Barrel Energy Inc. Announces Full SEC Reporting Status, Strengthening Marketability and Positioning Company for Expansion in Renewable and Nutritional Energy Markets

Published

8 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL) A fully reporting company. Accelerates Growth Across Energy, Hospitality, and Sustainable Ventures, Driving Scalable Opportunities Worldwide.

LAS VEGAS, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL), an emerging diversified energy company focused on renewable energy and nutritional energy initiatives, today announced that the Company is now a fully reporting company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), marking a major turning point in the Company’s long term growth strategy and public market development.

Barrel Energy Inc. Announces Full SEC Reporting Status, Strengthening Marketability and positioning for Expansion.

“Our transition to becoming a fully reporting SEC company represents a significant milestone for Barrel Energy and an important step toward increasing the overall marketability and visibility of our stock,” said Jarmin Kaltsas. “We believe today’s market increasingly rewards transparency and compliance, and becoming fully reporting positions us to engage a wider audience of investors, strategic partners, and acquisition opportunities as we continue executing our long term growth strategy under the BRLL trading symbol.”

Management further stated that the Company plans to aggressively pursue growth initiatives intended to expand revenues, strengthen market presence, and enhance shareholder value through strategic business combinations, operational expansion, and scalable energy focused ventures.

About Barrel Energy Inc.

Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL) is a diversified energy company focused on opportunities in renewable energy, and nutritional energy initiatives. The Company seeks to leverage strategic acquisitions, public market growth, and innovative energy solutions to create long term shareholder value.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to financial results and plans for future development activities and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business and finances in general, including the ability to continue and manage its growth, competition, global economic conditions and other factors discussed in detail in the Company’s periodic filings with the Security and Exchange Commission.

Barrel Energy – 3859 S. Valley View Blvd, STE 2 #107, Las Vegas, NV, 89103 Tel- 888- 397-9114 Email- info@BRLLenergy.com Social Media-@BRLLenergy all platforms.

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SOURCE Barrel Energy, Inc.

Technology

Legacy Launches $1M Study Advancing At-Home Semen Collection for Assisted Reproduction Technology

Published

8 hours ago

May 11, 2026

NEW YORK, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Legacy, the leading male fertility clinic and at-home sperm testing and cryopreservation platform, today announced the Sperm Study, a clinical research initiative backed by an R&D investment of over $1 million and designed to evaluate and optimize the use of at-home semen collection for assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including IVF and IUI.

Prospectively enrolling up to 250 participants across two phases, this study represents one of the most comprehensive investigations to date into how specimen shipment, handling, and cryopreservation impact sperm quality and is expected to set a new benchmark for scientific rigor in the rapidly growing field of at-home fertility testing. This study is being conducted in collaboration with IVF Academy USA.

Raising the bar for clinical evidence in at-home fertility care

To date, validation work in at-home semen collection has been limited in important ways. Studies have largely enrolled normozoospermic men only, relied on courier-transported rather than real-world-shipped specimens, and focused on short-term motility and concentration as primary endpoints.

Critical questions remain unanswered, particularly around how samples with varying quality perform under genuine end-to-end shipping conditions, and how those samples hold up in the contexts that matter most clinically: IVF and IUI. The Sperm Study is designed to close those gaps.

This multi-phase study will evaluate key sperm quality parameters including motility, DNA fragmentation, and post-thaw viability, while also validating the use of computer-aided semen analysis (CASA) as an alternative to basic manual semen analysis in the setting of mail-in semen analysis.

“With the increased utilization of at-home semen testing and cryopreservation, there is a critical need to ensure these specimens will perform adequately when used for assisted reproduction,” said Legacy’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Scott Lundy. “This study is designed to rigorously evaluate how at-home collection and transport impact sperm quality across a broad patient population and to translate those findings into improved protocols and optimized outcomes for both patients and providers.”

Sperm study design and scientific approach

The Sperm Study is a prospectively accruing cross-sectional study in which paired semen samples are analyzed across multiple timepoints and during the shipment process. Importantly, this study enrolls participants across a range of semen quality profiles — not solely normozoospermic men — and evaluates samples under genuine shipping conditions experienced by real specimens.

Key study components include direct comparison of CASA vs. manual analysis at baseline, evaluation of motility decline over time and in relation to shipment conditions, measurement of DNA fragmentation pre- and post-shipment and cryopreservation, assessment of post-thaw sperm viability and yield, and the development of predictive algorithms for IVF/IUI sample sufficiency.

The study will also examine how factors such as transit time, concentration, and storage conditions impact outcomes, with the goal of generating generalizable insights for clinical practice.

Multi-phase rollout

Phase 1 includes 100 participants and approximately 1,500 total assays, with expected completion in 2026. Phase 2, planned for later in 2026 and into 2027, will expand the study with additional participants, bringing the total to up to 250 to enable broader validation across a more diverse patient population.

Impact on clinical practice

Findings from the Sperm Study are expected to directly inform and improve specimen collection protocols for at-home use, shipping and handling standards for semen samples, cryopreservation practices, and clinical decision-making for IVF and IUI readiness.

By generating high-quality, controlled data across a clinically representative patient population, Legacy aims to provide fertility clinics, researchers, and patients with greater confidence in the use of mail-in semen testing and cryopreservation as part of standard reproductive care.

About Legacy

Legacy is the leading male fertility clinic in the United States, offering at-home semen analysis, sperm cryopreservation, and post-vasectomy testing. With a CLIA-certified, high-complexity andrology lab and one of the largest proprietary datasets in male reproductive health, Legacy is advancing access, data, and innovation in fertility care.

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SOURCE Give Legacy, Inc.

Technology

Elks Award Nearly $5 Million in College Scholarships

Published

8 hours ago

May 11, 2026

CHICAGO, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Elks National Foundation welcomed 900 students to the Elks family, awarding more than $4.9 million in scholarships to high school seniors. An Elks scholarship is more than financial aid; it’s an invitation to a network of service-minded peers and a promise that an Elks Lodge is always there with open arms.

Out of more than 23,000 applicants for the Most Valuable Student scholarship, the Top 20 scholars received $30,000 scholarships and an invitation to Chicago for the Leadership Weekend.

From April 30-May 3, the Leadership Weekend allowed scholars to get acquainted with their new Elks family through programming facilitated by current and former Elks scholars, team-building activities, and a service opportunity.

“Leadership Weekend is one of my greatest memories,” says Emily Cai, sponsored by Toccoa, Ga., Lodge No. 1820. “I had the privilege of meeting inspirational and disciplined individuals who motivated me to become the best version of myself. I am excited to see my future with the Elks family!”

A total of 480 runners-up received $4,000 Most Valuable Student scholarships.

Service is a tenet of the Elks, which is why it’s a requirement for recipients of the $6,000 Legacy Awards scholarship, which is exclusively for the children or grandchildren of Elks members. The new class of 400 scholars will serve with an Elks Lodge three times during the four years they receive the scholarship.

“This award means a great deal to me and my family,” says Kelly Butler, sponsored by Haverstraw, N.Y., Lodge No. 877. “Knowing that the Elks have invested in my future motivates me to continue working hard and striving toward my goals.”

To see a full list of the scholarship winners and to learn more about the Elks National Foundation’s scholarships, visit elks.org/scholars, follow the ENF on Instagram @ElksScholars, and like the ENF on Facebook @ElksNationalFoundation.

Contact: Elks National Foundation
Abbey Knupp | Manager, Communications
2750 N. Lakeview Ave. | Chicago, IL 60614-2256
773/755-4864 | AbbeyK@elks.org

Helping Elks Build Stronger Communities

The Elks National Foundation, the charitable arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, helps nearly 800,000 Elks and nearly 1,800 Lodges nationwide build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. To learn more, visit elks.org/enf.

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SOURCE ELKS NATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.