Oil futures added to gains after data from Baker Hughes released Friday showed that the number of active oil-drilling rigs edged higher, but the total number of active rigs fell. The number of oil rigs rose 1 to 675 as of Aug. 28. The total active rig count, which includes natural-gas rigs, was at 877, down 8 rigs. Compared to last year, the total rig count has fallen by 1,037, with the oil rig count down 900. Oct. crude was up $3.22, or 7.6%, at $45.78 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was trading at $45.42 just before the data.

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From:: Stock Market News

Tesla Motors Inc. has reached a long-term agreement with two mining companies to get lithium hydroxide for its battery factory going up outside Reno, Nev. Bacanora Minerals Ltd. and Rare Earth Minerals Plc are calling themselves the Sonora Lithium Project partners, and said on Thursday they will be exploring lithium from clay deposits in northern Mexico. Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry said Friday the $5 billion battery factory is “the key strategic differentiator” for Tesla, and the companies’ announcement seems to indicate limited battery production at the factory could start in the first half of 2016. Shares of Tesla rose 2.9% on Friday, on track to gain more than 8% this week.

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From:: Stock Market News

Twitter Inc. said Friday that it would increase the percentage of women in the company to 35% and the percentage of women in leadership roles to 25%, among other diversity goals. Twitter has been criticized for its lack of females in leadership and mostly white team. Its 2015 numbers show that 66% of its staff is male and 34% is female worldwide, with its leadership made up of 78% men and 22% women. Overall, 59% of the company is white and 31% is Asian, with smaller percentages of other minorities. Twitter also pledged to increase the percentage of women in tech roles to 16% and overall underrepresented minorities to 11%. Shares of Twitter were up less than 1% in mid-day trade Friday.

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From:: Stock Market News

The yields on Treasury notes spiked Friday after Federal Reserve Chairman Stanley Fischer suggested that the Federal Reserve is still open to raising interest rates at its September meeting. The 10-year yield was up 2.2 basis points on the day to 2.188%, while the two-year yield was up 4.7 basis points to 0.731%. Shorter-term Treasurys are more sensitive to rate-hike expectations. Yields had been moving lower earlier in the session. The yield on the 30-year bond was up 0.4 basis point to 2.906%. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

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From:: Stock Market News

The dollar gained sharply against the euro Friday after comments from Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer suggested that the door was still open to an interest-rate increase at the Fed’s next meeting. Fischer said that the case for a rate hike in September was “pretty strong” before Chinese policy makers decided to allow the yuan to depreciate, though it’s still too soon to say what the Fed might do. The euro fell to $1.1180 from $1.1230 ahead of the comments. The dollar rose to 121.23 yen from 120.90 yen.

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From:: Stock Market News

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – Though Federal Reserve officials have not come to any decision on whether to hike rates in September, the case was strong before China’s currency devaluation, Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said on Friday. Fischer responded to the comment from William Dudley, the president of the New York Fed, who said that a September rate hike was less compelling, telling CNBC “it is too early to tell…I wouldn’t want to go ahead and decide right now what the case is – more compelling or less compelling etc.” Fischer was upbeat about the economy and said he was confident that inflation would return to 2% in the medium term. Market volatility can effect timing of Fed decisions but things could “settle down fairly quickly,” he said.

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From:: Stock Market News

Shares of SolarCity Corp. extended gains for a second session Friday following a Morgan Stanley upgrade, putting them on track to gain more than 20% for the week. Morgan Stanley Thursday raised the stock’s rating to overweight from equal weight with a price target of $93 a share, according to 24/7 Wall St. SolarCity shares were up 6.6% to $49.30.

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From:: Stock Market News

By Rachel Jefferson

To save money on renters insurance, it’s necessary to install certain safety upgrades. Zillow.com explains how likely is it for a damage to happen within a rented space. In 2013, there were more than 1.24 million fires, resulting in billions worth of property damage. And not only should renters be weary of fire damages, but also of thieves. The most recent FBI statistics reported over 4.6 million in property loss from the result of about 2.1 million burglaries. Zillow.com informs readers of the precautionary steps to take for the safety of your rented space.

on Zillow.

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From:: Property Management

By Marianne Canada

Did you catch all of the videos from our Dorm Room Takeover last week? What did you think? We are loving the fresh, youthful color palette and all of the inexpensive DIY projects. If you’d like to recreate the look yourself, here is a master source list:

BEDDING

• Sushi Pillow, Redbubble
• Cat Duvet Cover, Redbubble
• Triangle-Print Sheets, Target
• Assorted Throw Pillows, Target
• Striped Throw, Back Porch Mercantile

WALLS

• Cork Hexagons, Target (currently out of stock but you can make your own!)
• Instagram Printer, Instax
• Chalk Paint, Annie Sloan Napoleonic Blue
• Book Lover Print, Seltzer Goods
• Tennessee Iris Letterpress, Thimblepress
• Knoxville, Tenn. Print, The Happy Envelope
• Wall Clock, Target
• Wooden Hashtag, Target
• Frames, IKEA
• Wall Clips, Back Porch Mercantile
• Scarves (used as curtains), Target
• Assorted Posters (1, 2, 3, 4), Redbubble

DESKS + DRESSERS

• Removable Wallpaper, Chasing Paper
• Lucite and Brass Lamp, Target (no longer available)
• Brass Elbow Lamp, Target
• Chalkboard Decals, Target
• Desk Chair, Target
• Dog Bookends, Target
• Rifle Paper Co Penguin Classics, Anthropologie
• Vanity Mirror, Bed Bath & Beyond

FLOORS + STORAGE

• Rolling Storage Table, IKEA Ekby Alex Shelves
• Caster Set, Target
• Kitchen Cart, IKEA
• Indoor/Outdoor Rug, World Market
• Metallic Side Table, West Elm
• Shag Pillow, HomeGoods

Re-watch all 12 (!!!) videos from our dorm room takeover, then recreate the look in your own space.

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From:: HGTV

Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared state of emergency Friday ahead of Tropical Storm Erika, currently drenching the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and headed for the Dominican Republic. Erika, moving to the west-northwest at 17 miles per hour, is expected to gradually turn north as it approaches Florida Sunday evening, according to the state’s division of emergency management. The National Hurricane Center predicts Erika to make landfall in South Florida as a tropical storm Sunday night or early Monday morning.

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From:: Stock Market News