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The rise of sober curiosity: Why Gen Z is reducing their alcohol consumptionAndrews Sykes Group plc ( LON:ASY – Get Free Report ) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as GBX 480 ($6.04) and last traded at GBX 503.40 ($6.33), with a volume of 143 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 496.50 ($6.25). Andrews Sykes Group Stock Up 1.4 % The stock has a market cap of £210.72 million, a P/E ratio of 1,227.80 and a beta of 0.47. The company has a current ratio of 2.11, a quick ratio of 3.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 34.80. The firm’s fifty day moving average is GBX 517.74 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 543.60. About Andrews Sykes Group ( Get Free Report ) Andrews Sykes Group plc, an investment holding company, engages in the hire, sale, and installation of environmental control equipment in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and internationally. The company operates through Hire and Sales UK, Hire and Sales Europe, Hire and Sales Middle East, and Installation and Maintenance segments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Andrews Sykes Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Andrews Sykes Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

By Renju Jose SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian Senate committee has backed a bill that would ban social media for children under 16 but said social media platforms should not force users to submit personal data such as passport and other digital identification to prove their age. Australia plans to trial an age-verification system that may include biometrics or government identification to enforce a social media age cut-off, some of the toughest controls imposed by any country to date. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Labor government is rushing to pass the bill, largely supported by the opposition Liberal party, by the end of the parliamentary year on Thursday. In its report published late on Tuesday, the Senate's environment and communications legislation committee said social media platforms "must set out alternative methods for assuring age as reasonable steps with consideration given to the age assurance trial." A progress report on the age assurance trial must be submitted by the communications minister to the parliament by Sept. 30, 2025, the committee said as it urged the government to "meaningfully engage" with youth when framing the law. "Young people, and in particular diverse cohorts, must be at the centre of the conversation as an age restriction is implemented to ensure there are constructive pathways for connection," committee Chair Senator Karen Grogan said. Some independent lawmakers have criticised the government for trying to pass the legislation in a week. The bill was introduced last Thursday, submissions on it closed on Friday, and a brief hearing was held on Monday. In separate submissions, Google and Facebook-owner Meta Platforms said the social media ban should be delayed until the age-verification trial finishes. Bytedance's TikTok said the bill needed more consultation, while Elon Musk's X said the proposed law might hurt children's human rights. The planned law would force social media platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure age-verification protections are in place. Companies could be fined up to A$49.5 million ($32 million) for systemic breaches. ($1 = 1.5451 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Sonali Paul)

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NEW YORK: The S&P 500 and Nasdaq eked out record closing highs on Tuesday, with tech-related shares extending recent gains as investors awaited further jobs data. The Dow finished slightly lower on the day. Among S&P 500 sectors, technology, communication services and consumer discretionary were the only gainers, extending their advance on Monday. Marketwatchers also digested reassuring comments from Federal Reserve policymakers. Two policymakers said they see inflation heading down to the US central bank's 2% target and that the job market is "solid." They stayed away from signaling whether they would support another interest rate cut later this month. On Monday, Fed governor Christopher Waller said he was inclined "at present" to support another rate cut this month. Investors will pay close attention to the US monthly employment report on Friday. They also are keen to see other data this week, including a November reading of private payrolls and the Institute for Supply Management's services report. "The market is kind of waiting for the big data, which would be ISM and the (employment report) on Friday ... so people are sitting on their hands a little bit," said Paul Nolte, senior wealth advisor and market strategist for Murphy & Sylvest in Elmhurst, Illinois. A report on Tuesday showed US job openings increased solidly in October while layoffs dropped by the most in 1-1/2 years. Financial markets expect a roughly 72% chance of a 25-basis-point rate cut at the Fed's Dec. 17-18 policy meeting, CME Group's FedWatch tool showed. Shares of Amazon rose 1.3%. The company announced a new slate of artificial intelligence platforms, known as foundation models, at its annual AWS conference. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 76.47 points, or 0.17%, to 44,705.53, the S&P 500 gained 2.73 points, or 0.05%, to 6,049.88 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 76.96 points, or 0.40%, to 19,480.91. The S&P 500 advanced 5.7% in November as former U.S. President Donald Trump recaptured the White House in the Nov. 5 election and his Republican Party swept both houses of Congress. The index is up roughly 27% for the year to date. "This is a market that has performed extremely well. You want it to pause, take a breather and wait for another catalyst to push it higher," said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist, LPL Financial in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Dow transportation average fell 2% in its biggest daily percentage drop since September. US-listed shares of South Korean companies also declined, with iShares MSCI South Korea ETF easing 1.6%. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would move to lift a martial law declaration he had imposed just hours before that unnerved world markets. Shares of Tesla declined 1.6% after data showed the automaker's sales of China-made electric vehicles fell 4.3% year-on-year to 78,856 in November. After the closing bell, Salesforce shares rose about 7% following the release of its results, including stronger-than-expected quarterly revenue. The stock ended the regular session 0.1% higher. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.24-to-1 ratio on the NYSE. There were 310 new highs and 50 new lows on the NYSE. On the Nasdaq, 1,647 stocks rose and 2,732 fell as declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.66-to-1 ratio. Volume on US exchanges was 12.70 billion shares, compared with the 14.81 billion full-session average over the last 20 trading days. — Reuters

A legal action has been brought against the city of Tahlequah on the claim that employees had altered financial transactions for leasing the Armory Building to River Valley Church and other groups. The city has filed a motion to dismiss the case, based on the grounds that the plaintiff doesn't have standing to sue, and hasn't proved a claim that could translate into damages. The city's motion to dismiss is scheduled to be ruled on by Friday, Dec. 6. During the Dec. 2 meeting of the Tahlequah City Council, an agenda item listed under the executive session was discussed, and after reconvening, City Attorney John Hammons stated, "No action was necessary." The item was "Pursuant to... Case No. CV-2024-00370, Watts vs. City of Tahlequah." The case was brought by David Watts involving the leasing of space at the Armory Building to Andreas Basson of River Valley Church, and other entities, according to filings provided to TDP. The Petition for Injunctive Relief, dated Oct. 24, states the "Plaintiff has become aware of improper practices occurring within the City's department that conducts rental and leasing operations." The suit was filed with the District Court of Cherokee County, State of Oklahoma. "[No. 1] this court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over this matter because the plaintiff lacks standing to bring the same, and [No. 2] the plaintiff has failed to assert a claim for which relief can be granted," states the city's motion to dismiss. In more detail, the motion explains the plaintiff lacks standing because Watts does not have a legally protected interest that has been injured, and as such, no redress is available by the court. "The substance of the Plaintiff's first complaint is that the City government might alter records in the City's possession concerning its internal operations," states the motion to dismiss. "As proof, the Plaintiff alleges the City 'possibly manipulates its record and that the alternation of its records is technologically possible.'" An attachment to Watts' petition is an account statement from the city of Tahlequah for Basson's rental fees, with $3,075 listed under balance due, then $0 under "Account Credit" column. Refunds/Credits are listed after transactions, along with one payment of $1,970. The last entry is for a refund of $3,075, making a balance of $0. City Administrator Taylor Tannehill said on Dec. 3 that the city does not extend credit to lessees in the sense that services are not given without payment, whether it be money or other arrangement. Tannehill said a zero balance could indicate an event had been scheduled and then canceled, and an entry of refund/credit would be on the ledger. He stressed this was an example, not a specific incident that has occurred. Watts' assertions are aimed at the use of the facility by churches. "The church was created by a church split with Cornerstone [Fellowship] ... so I asked the city for records related to their reserving the Armory," said Watts in a text message to TDP. "When I got the records, I discovered the city was changing records and extending credit to several people/entities." The city's motion to dismiss states the plaintiff discovered "what appeared to be altered records, specifically changes in transaction dates and other possible manipulations." It further alleges "that alteration of records, including changing of transaction dates, is permitted and currently allowed within the City's reservation management software." In the "Request for Relief," Watts requested that a permanent injunction "restraining Defendant from allowing its employees to alter dates or other material information in the City's records, unless such changes are properly documented and audited to ensure accuracy." The plaintiff is asking that the court issue a permanent injunction to make the city cease any practices that extend credit to private entities, "including but not limited to deferred payment arrangements in leasing city-owned properties." The plaintiff is asking for "fees, costs and further relief as the court deemed proper." The exhibit in Watts' petition for injunctive relief documents that CivicPlus, the software provider for the city – used to manage rental and leasing operations of the various properties of the city – confirmed the city has the ability to alter transaction dates within the software. "Based on this information, I believe the City's ability to alter transaction dates without any tracking or reporting mechanism poses a significant risk to the integrity and accuracy of the City's public records, particularly with respect to leasing and rental transactions," states Watts' petition. In response to an inquiry when the case first came to the attention of TDP, Hammons said the city does not comment on ongoing litigation. The city's motion to dismiss states this is not a judicial question but instead a political one – "that is, one 'reviewable solely by political means.'" The city claims in the motion that the plaintiff has no legal interest nor has he suffered injury; that the plaintiff lacks standing to bring the present claim; and that "the matter should be dismissed with prejudice." Another item discussed in executive session Monday night was the approval of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4099 contract for 2024-2025. No action was required on two other items discussed in the session, which was an undisclosed pending investigation, claim or action, and economic development concerning Project Leaf. City Administrator Taylor Tannehill said TDP would have to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to learn the terms of the contract with the firefighters union. Those steps have been taken. A discussion was held among councilors on the appointment and/or organization of the implementation body for the Homelessness Strategic Plan. Ward 4 City Councilor Josh Allen explained the history behind the plan and said that at the last meeting of Tahlequah Resource Outreach Team, a discussion ensued about creating an entity that will outlive the current administration. "[The council would] put this plan in place and be the governing body moving forward, and we want the city to take the lead in developing that plan with recommendations [from] TROT groups that are already forming to get that process moving quickly," Allen said. Tannehill said the plan outlined an implementation body. He asked if the council wanted to be that body, and if not, what the group would look like. Allen said the study stated it is always good to have an entity outside of the council so it would outlive the "politics of the council and mayor." "We would love for this plan to change this community for the long term, and I think this would be a good step forward," Allen said. Hammons said if the council and city staff take the project on as a priority, then a motion is needed, but if the council wants the city administrator to find a group to represent the entity and bring back a recommendation, no motion is needed. The councilors agreed they wanted the second option. What's next The next Tahlequah City Council meeting is Jan. 6, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City Administration Building.How to grow and care for a crested cactus – experts share insights for these curious plantsNone

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