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(Reuters) -Index provider MSCI reported a rise in third-quarter profit on Tuesday, as improved client spending drove up demand for its index products and analytics services. MSCI creates stock market indices that serve as benchmarks for trillions of dollars in assets held by investment funds, pension plans, and asset managers to measure performance and guide investment decisions. When MSCI performs well, it indicates healthy demand for index-based investing and market data. Conversely, weak results might signal an investor pullback or headwinds in the investment management sector. The data provider posted a profit of $325.4 million for the quarter ending September 30, or $4.25 per share, compared with $280.9 million, or $3.57 per share, a year earlier. Recurring subscriptions in its index segment rose 8.3% on-year to $242.6 million in the September quarter, driven by growth from market-cap weighted index products. This pushed total operating revenue nearly 9.5% higher to $793.4 million, while higher asset-based fees also contributed. U.S. markets have continued to swing higher as lower interest rates and AI exuberance cloud investor anxieties over labor market cracks and tariffs. This marks a stark turnaround from April, when U.S. President Donald Trump's erratic trade policy roiled markets worldwide. Operating expenses increased 7%, as the company spent more on employee compensation and information technology. (Reporting by Ateev Bhandari in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman)

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(Reuters) -PayPal said on Tuesday it entered into a deal with OpenAI that will allow ChatGPT users to buy products using the payment firm's wallet, sending its shares up 13% in premarket trading. The company also raised its financial outlook for the year and announced its first-ever dividend in its 27-year history, signaling confidence in its cash generation and long-term profitability. PayPal said the OpenAI partnership will connect its global merchant network to ChatGPT, allowing users to sell within the wildly popular generative AI tool. AI shopping tools are emerging as the next big shift in online retail, as they can autonomously research, compare and purchase products for consumers. These tools act as digital assistants by understanding user preferences, setting budgets, evaluating reviews and tracking prices over time. "By partnering with OpenAI and adopting the Agentic Commerce Protocol, PayPal will power payments and commerce experiences that help people go from chat to checkout in just a few taps for our joint customer bases," PayPal CEO Alex Chriss said in a statement. RAISES FORECAST, SETS FIRST-EVER DIVIDEND PayPal said it now expects full-year adjusted EPS between $5.35 and $5.39 versus $5.15 to $5.30 earlier. Analysts had projected $5.24, according to estimates compiled by LSEG. Its board approved a quarterly dividend of 14 cents per share, representing a targeted payout ratio of 10% of adjusted profit. The company has overhauled its business under CEO Alex Chriss in recent years by prioritizing profitability over aggressive revenue growth. Once a pandemic-era favorite, PayPal experienced a downturn as consumers returned to physical stores and spending patterns stabilized, prompting the company to focus on high-margin businesses and cost-cutting measures. Payment volumes have remained resilient as consumers continue to spend despite inflationary pressures and an uneven economic environment, highlighting the durability of the company's core business. PayPal posted total payment volume growth of 7% on a FX-neutral basis to $458.1 billion. (Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)

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If a person seems to talk incessantly, it can be extremely tricky to get a word in edgewise. How to handle the exchange so that you get to say something now and again too. Berlin (dpa) – They talk without pause or punctuation. Some people have an obvious urge to talk, which can annoy the person they are talking to. It might be a colleague who gives monologues at meetings, a neighbour who talks non-stop when you meet or a friend who doesn't give you any space to say anything yourself. Such talkaholics are often unaware that their incessant stream of words can annoy others. That's because sometimes the other person is sending the wrong signal, says Michaela Albrecht, a communication trainer in Hohenroda, Hesse. "If someone nods politely to the other person's torrent of words, even though it annoys them, the overly talkative person may interpret this as interest," she says. What causes an increased need to talk There can be many reasons why someone talks incessantly and doesn't give the other person a chance to say anything. Loneliness: "Some people live alone and have hardly anyone to talk to," says Judith Lurweg, a systemic therapist in Münster. When these people meet others and see an opportunity to say things they have long kept to themselves, they do so. "It's as if something inside them is released and pent-up feelings come pouring out," says Lurweg. Insecurity: Others talk incessantly in the hope of receiving validation. "They are unsure whether what they are doing or how they are behaving is right," says Lurweg. "And want to compensate for this with a torrent of words." Personality trait: Some people were not listened to as children – and as adults, they compensate for this by talking and expecting others to listen to them. "Others are simply used to being listened to and talk incessantly for that reason alone," says Lurweg. Due to gender socialization, this pattern is more common in men's behaviour towards women. Women comply and listen, even though they are annoyed, because they have learned to please. "Sometimes it also has something to do with age, which is why some people talk incessantly to others," says Albrecht. The older you are, the more you have usually experienced – and some older people feel the urge to pass on their experiences so that others can benefit from them. Tips for dealing with ‘talkaholics’ How best to deal with someone who talks incessantly depends on the context. "In a professional context, for example during a team meeting, structures with fixed speaking times can ensure that a team member's comments do not drag on," says Albrecht. But what if the talkative person is part of your personal circle of friends? "In this case, people who feel annoyed by their counterpart's torrent of words should ask themselves some questions," says Albrecht. Ask yourself, how important is my relationship with this person to me? Do I want to offend them and possibly turn away from them? Or do I want there to be genuine interaction instead of monologues? Some ways you can address the issue:  1. Interrupt If the conversation with your good friend is too one-sided and she is the one who talks incessantly, you should interrupt her in a friendly but firm manner. "Then it's not about bombarding her with accusations along the lines of 'why are you talking so much?', but speaking in the first person," says Lurweg. You can say, "I feel like you're talking more than I am and not giving me a chance to tell you anything about my life." Or, "Hey, I can't really concentrate on what you're saying because you've been talking for a long time; let me say something." 2. Gestures Body language can also help to signal to the other person: I want to say something. "This can be done by raising your hand or pointing a finger at the other person," says Albrecht. 3. Set boundaries "A conversation is an exchange, not a monologue," says Lurweg. You should make this clear to the other person and interrupt them politely before they finish speaking. Depending on the situation, it can also be helpful to tell the other person that you are not prepared to listen any longer – for example, because you are pressed for time. You can then arrange to talk again at a later date. And the person who has been listening without interruption could take the moment to say something like, "Next time, I'll tell you something about myself too." The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn eut lue amc xxde arw

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(Reuters) -PayPal on Tuesday announced a partnership with AI giant OpenAI to allow ChatGPT users to check out instantly using the payments firm, sending its shares up 13% in premarket trading. It will also connect its global merchant network to OpenAI, allowing users to sell within ChatGPT. Agentic AI shopping tools are emerging as the next big shift in online retail, as the artificial intelligence system can autonomously research, compare and purchase products for consumers. These tools act as digital assistants by understanding user preferences, setting budgets, evaluating reviews and tracking prices over time. "By partnering with OpenAI and adopting the Agentic Commerce Protocol, PayPal will power payments and commerce experiences that help people go from chat to checkout in just a few taps for our joint customer bases," PayPal CEO Alex Chriss said in a statement. The company will also announce results for the quarter ended September 30 on Tuesday. (Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)

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(Reuters) -PayPal on Tuesday announced a partnership with AI giant OpenAI to allow ChatGPT users to check out instantly using the payments firm. It will also connect its global merchant network to OpenAI, allowing users to sell within ChatGPT, sending its shares up 14% in premarket trading. (Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)

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RIYADH (Reuters) -Qatar's finance minister said on Tuesday that artificial intelligence would be a big part of planned Qatari investments in the United States. "I would say most of the (QIA investment) will be in technology and AI because we see the growth in this field, and it is going to be rewarding," Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari said, speaking in Riyadh at the annual Future Investment Initiative conference. "Now we see the huge growth in the U.S. economy is coming from technology and AI and we believe this is one area we are going to focus on," he said. The Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, plans to at least double its annual U.S. investments in the next decade, its CEO said in May. The fund had already pledged to invest $500 billion in the U.S. economy over the next 10 years. Al-Kuwari also highlighted the importance of the sector for diversifying Qatar's own economy and reducing its dependence on hydrocarbon income. Speaking alongside his British counterpart Rachel Reeves, Kuwari said a trade agreement between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council was "almost done". Reeves said on Monday she was confident a trade deal with Gulf countries could be done quickly after she had "really good" meetings about an agreement that could help her plan to speed up economic growth. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah and Andrew Mills in Dubai; Writing by Rachna Uppal; Editing by Michael Georgy and Aidan Lewis)

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RIYADH (Reuters) -Qatar's finance minister said on Tuesday that artificial intelligence would be a big part of planned Qatari investments in the United States. "I would say most of the (QIA investment) will be in technology and AI because we see the growth in this field, and it is going to be rewarding," Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari said, speaking in Riyadh at the annual Future Investment Initiative conference. "Now we see the huge growth in the U.S. economy is coming from technology and AI and we believe this is one area we are going to focus on," he said. The Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, plans to at least double its annual U.S. investments in the next decade, its CEO said in May. The fund had already pledged to invest $500 billion in the U.S. economy over the next 10 years. Al-Kuwari also highlighted the importance of the sector for diversifying Qatar's own economy and reducing its dependence on hydrocarbon income. Speaking alongside his British counterpart Rachel Reeves, Kuwari said a trade agreement between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council was "almost done". Reeves said on Monday she was confident a trade deal with Gulf countries could be done quickly after she had "really good" meetings about an agreement that could help her plan to speed up economic growth. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah and Andrew Mills in Dubai; Writing by Rachna Uppal; Editing by Michael Georgy and Aidan Lewis)

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By Milana Vinn (Reuters) -SAP, Europe's largest software provider, offered to buy accounting software firm BlackLine for nearly $4.5 billion in June but was rebuffed and is now considering a new approach, according to a copy of the offer letter reviewed by Reuters and a person familiar with the matter.  The German software giant, which is working with JPMorgan on the deal, submitted a formal, non-public offer of $66 per share on June 18, but BlackLine wasn't interested in a deal and rejected the advance, according to the letter and person familiar with the talks. The offer represented a 31% premium to the 60-day average price of $50.50. In the offer letter, SAP said it didn't need outside financing to close the deal.   ANALYST SAYS BID IN LOW-TO-MID $70S MIGHT PREVAIL Private equity firm Clearlake Capital holds nearly 9% of BlackLine's shares and would have a say in a potential sale as a large shareholder. The Vanguard Group and BlackRock are other top shareholders through their fund families.  SAP is now weighing whether it wants to reopen negotiations, although nothing has been decided and it hasn't sent another formal offer, according to the person familiar with the matter. They asked not to be identified since the discussions are private. SAP, whose shares were down 0.5% at 0947 GMT on Tuesday, declined to comment, as did JPMorgan and Clearlake. BlackLine and Morgan Stanley did not immediately respond to requests for comment. BlackLine shares jumped as much as 12% on the Nasdaq exchange after the Reuters report on Monday, before paring gains to close 3.8% higher. Citi analysts on Monday suggested a dollar-per-share offer in the "low to mid 70s" would increase the likelihood of acceptance for SAP. They added that BlackLine had been a likely M&A target because of the stock’s under-performance, a "best of breed product" and the involvement of activist investors. BlackLine could help SAP, which has struggled to quickly migrate customer data to its newer HANA cloud platform, potentially boost HANA adoption by simplifying that process. "The acquisition should be a good fit into S/4HANA finance," said analyst Frederik Altmann at brokerage Alpha, but he cautioned that a $70 per-share offer would not be cheap. Los Angeles-based BlackLine provides cloud-based software that helps companies automate and manage complex financial and accounting processes. Its products are designed to modernize tasks traditionally done on spreadsheets, reducing errors and increasing efficiency for corporate finance departments. BlackLine and SAP have a long-standing partnership; SAP sells BlackLine’s solutions to its customers. The agreement accounts for nearly 30% of BlackLine's annual revenue, according to company disclosures. SAP's Chief Financial Officer Dominik Asam and Chief Corporate Development and Investment Officer Georg Kniese said buying BlackLine represented a "logical extension of the long standing partnership" between the two companies, according to the offer letter addressed to BlackLine co-CEOs Theresa Tucker and Owen Ryan. The offer came as Tucker, who founded BlackLine and stepped down earlier this month, was preparing to hand over the reins to Ryan, who also serves as chairman. An acquisition of BlackLine would significantly bolster SAP's cloud-based financial software suite as it competes with rivals like Oracle and Workday. BlackLine’s financial automation software, already tightly integrated with SAP, helps companies clean up financial records before migrating to new platforms. (Reporting by Milana Vinn in New York. Additionale reporting by Hakan Ersen and Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt. Editing by Leslie Adler, Nick Zieminski and Mark Potter)

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By Greg Bensinger SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday called on Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos to account for what the Vermont independent said were hundreds of thousands of potential lost jobs due to automation. "If Amazon succeeds on its massive automation plan, it will have a profound impact on blue-collar workers throughout America and will likely be used as a model by large corporations throughout America," Sanders wrote in a letter to Bezos, which was exclusively reviewed by Reuters. Sanders, who caucuses with the Democrats, was referring to a New York Times article published earlier this month that cited documents and interviews showing that Amazon executives believe 500,000 jobs could be cut over time by replacing warehouse workers with robots. Amazon employs 1.55 million people, the majority of whom are hourly workers. Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. It has said its automation goals are to assist workers and create new jobs. On Monday, Reuters reported Amazon planned to cut as many as 30,000 corporate jobs beginning Tuesday, as it pares expenses. In the letter, Sanders asked Bezos whether Amazon planned to provide laid-off workers with sufficient severance payments and some continuation of their health-care coverage. He also noted that Amazon workers have received federal subsidies for food, housing and health care and the company has received “billions of dollars” in federal contracts. “What are Amazon’s plans to provide help and support for the many hundreds of thousands of workers you’ll be replacing with robots and AI?” said Sanders, referring to artificial intelligence software. Bezos is now executive chairman and no longer runs day-to-day operations at Amazon after the company appointed Andy Jassy as chief executive in 2021. Jassy said earlier this year that advancements in AI would lead to a shrinking corporate workforce at the Seattle-based firm. Sanders has frequently sparred with Amazon and Bezos, particularly over warehouse working conditions, but also what he has called union-busting tactics. (Reporting by Greg Bensinger; Editing by Leslie Adler)

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(Reuters) -Amazon said on Tuesday it will reduce its corporate workforce by about 14,000 roles, as the tech giant cuts down on operational layers to limit costs amid ballooning investments in artificial intelligence. The company had about 1.56 million full-time and part-time employees at the end of last year. Amazon's corporate workforce includes roughly 350,000 employees. Reuters first reported on Monday that Amazon is planning to cut as many as 30,000 corporate jobs beginning on Tuesday, as the company compensates for over-hiring during the peak demand of the pandemic. Amazon has been restructuring its workforce across multiple divisions in recent months, with piecemeal job cuts across its books, devices and services unit, as well as its Wondery podcast division. CEO Andy Jassy said in June growing adoption of generative AI tools would reduce total corporate workforce at the e-commerce giant in the next few years. Corporations are increasingly using AI to write code for their software and adopting AI agents to automate routine tasks, as they look to save costs and cut reliance on people. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Devika Syamnath)

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