Monthly Archives: August 2021

For Samsung, the future is flexible. And to prove it, the company has launched its newest foldable-screen phone, the aptly named Galaxy Z Fold3.

Available for pre-order now, and on sale Aug. 29, the Z Fold3 is the companys latest smartphone that folds in half like a book. And while the original Z Fold and Z Fold2 had issues like fragile screen covers and a lack of water resistance, Samsung has addressed them with the latest release. It also added on some extras, like the ability to use the companys S Pen stylus.

But there are still some shortcomings for the Z Fold3. Namely, its hefty price tag it starts at $1,799 and the fact that it still isnt dust resistant. That said, I cant help but love watching shows on its giant 7.6-inch display.

The Z Fold3, like its predecessors, functions almost as two different phones. Theres the way you use it with the main screen folded, scrolling and tapping away at its 6.2-inch cover screen, and the way you use it when the main screen is wide open in all of its bendable glory.

The front screen, which gets a faster refresh rate for smoother scrolling, is where youll likely spend your time checking messages, the time, and notifications, or quickly Googling random tidbits like when daylight saving time ends. Its Nov. 7, by the way.

The cover screen is a must-have since the main screen is folded up most of the time. And it works well for quick tasks, but its narrow design makes text look more squeezed together than it would on a wider display.

The keyboard, as before, is also cramped when typing with the cover screen, which can be bothersome when youre trying to tap out lengthy text messages or emails. And thats where the main display comes in.

The screen, which also has a 120Hz refresh rate, provides plenty of real estate for watching movies, TV shows, TikTok videos on home repairs, anything really. It also easily picks up where you left off with the cover screen. So, if youre reading a long document, or setting up your fantasy football team on the front display and want a bit more room to stretch out, you can pop open the main screen and the same content will be there.

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Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold3 is Samsung's latest take on a foldable phone, and gets a stronger display, and water-resistant design. (Image: Samsung)

Samsung offers multitasking capabilities with the Z Fold3. You can drag individual apps from the recently opened app menu to the center of the main screen to open them as resizable pop-up windows. Or using the task bar, you can open two apps at once.

The Fold3s Labs option, found in the phones advanced settings menu, adds even more to the offerings, letting you resize apps that havent yet been optimized for the Z Fold3s larger main screen, and open all apps, in pop-up or split-screen modes.

Oh, and you can finally use Samsungs S Pen Stylus with the Z Fold3. So if youre partial to writing notes, rather than typing them, youre in luck.

Of course, the Z Fold3s large main screen means that youll probably need to use both hands to hold it when its unfolded. And when folded the phone is chunkier than, say, a Galaxy S21, which has a flat-screen design. So if youre looking for a petite smartphone, this might not be what youre looking for.

Around back the Z Fold3 has a trio of cameras. Theres a wide-angle lens, an ultra-wide angle, and a telephoto option. True to form, the photos taken with Samsungs phone look crisp, but can look blown out, especially where bright colors meet. A close-up shot of a yellow bush, for instance, looked better on the iPhone 12 Pro than the Z Fold3 thanks to the fact that the colors look more distinct on the iPhone.

The Galaxy Z Fold3 now has S Pen support. (Image: Samsung)

Low-light shots of my cat, currently in a cast after he tried to perform some advanced gymnastics while jumping from my kitchen counter to the island, looked bright, but details were softer than those in photos taken with the iPhone.

One of the Z Fold3s more interesting features, though, is its under-display selfie camera. See, rather than a notch at the top of the Z Fold3s main screen that holds the camera, Samsung has made it so that the portion of the display over the lens can show pixels to match whatever youre viewing on screen, making it appear as though the camera isnt there at all.

Its a slick setup, but the photos arent exactly great. Zoom in, and youll notice that shots are blurrier than those taken with an iPhones FaceTime camera.

One of my biggest gripes with the original Z Fold and Z Fold2 was that they werent water resistant. Thankfully, Samsung has made the Z Fold3 capable of surviving taking a quick dip into 5 feet of water without turning into an $1,800 paperweight. But Samsung says the Z Fold3 still isnt dust resistant, since it has its moving hinge, which can allow debris and make it susceptible to damage.

Inside, the Z Fold3 gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and 12GB of RAM. The base version also gets 256GB of storage with the option to upgrade to 512GB.

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold3 lets you control apps using its split panel mode. (Image: Samsung)

In terms of battery life, you can expect to get about a days worth of power out of the Z Fold3. Its not going to win the award for longest-lasting phone, but it will get the job done from morning until you plug it in at night.

The Galaxy Z Fold3 is Samsungs best take on the book-style foldable phone design. Its improved durability and water resistant, not to mention its S Pen integration makes it an especially appealing option for consumers who want a smartphone with a giant screen.

That said, the lack of dust resistance, its chunky design, and sky-high price, mean that most consumers will likely keep their distance. Samsung has done a wonderful job of building on the original Z Fold and Z Fold2, now it needs to do the same with the Z Fold3 to ensure the next generation is a truly mainstream smartphone for all consumers.

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Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com over via encrypted mail at danielphowley@protonmail.com, and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.

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Samsungs Galaxy Z Fold3 is a foldable phone with a lot of promise, and a sky-high price - Yahoo Finance

Current markets continue to be underscored by inflation fears as well as labor market recoveries across most states as people return to work. However, according to Jay Hatfield, founder, CEO, and portfolio manager at InfraCap, the risk of stagflation in 2022 is the most pressing issue facing markets right now.

I think [the Taliban takeover of the Afghan government] maybe caused a little bit of weakening, about maybe 10 handles in the S&P, Hatfield told Yahoo Finance Live. But the dominant risk right now we see is really stagflation in '22 and that the Fed has lost control of inflation.

Hatfield noted that it is likely the Fed will need to raise interest rates at least twice in 2022 because of where the brunt of inflation is coming from, which is the housing and consumer durable sectors. Ultimately, it is Fed Chair Jerome Powell who holds the smoking gun on inflation, he said.

So not only did you see the images from Afghanistan, you also had reporting that not just [James] Bullard and [Robert] Kaplan, which tend to be the thought leaders on the Fed, but other members are realizing that inflation is out of control and are likely to accelerate the taper, Hatfield added.

Hatfield joined Yahoo Finance Live to discuss the current outlook on inflation in the U.S. as well as monetary policy expectations from the Fed. InfraCap is an SEC-registered, New York City-based investment adviser that manages ETFs and a series of hedge funds.

As for whether the current levels of inflation will be sustained over a longer term, as the Fed continues to hammer home its transitory theme, Hatfield believes that inflation is indeed accelerating.

If you mark CPI to market so in other words, specifically look at housing and instead of using the BLS methodology of asking homeowners every six months whether they think rents have gone up, you just look at the market. [And] if you just look on the internet, which maybe the BLS should learn how to use, then the CPI would be really running 8% year over year, he said.

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Hatfield also cited hyperinflation in steel markets as being another reason why inflation could potentially rise to double digits if an aggressive tapering strategy is not pursued by the Fed. He believes that the only way to effectively get inflation under control is to begin raising interest rates prior to the conclusion of the planned tapering efforts mentioned by Kaplan in an interview with CNBC last week.

The only thing that's going to slow the housing market down is higher rates, Hatfield said. Just not buying as much securities is not going to slow [it] down because there is a momentum to these situations as well, as we know from the boom during the 2000s. Once housing prices start going higher, people buy on a speculative basis.

In regard to Hatfields predictions of stagflation and interest rate hikes by the Fed in the coming year, however, Invesco (IVZ) Global Market Strategist Brian Levitt does not hold the same opinion. Levitt pointed to current bond market conditions as being the strongest indicator that inflation levels are expected to eventually quell.

You've got a one-year breakeven of over 3%, which may sound scary, but I would say [is] supportive for corporate earnings, Levitt told Yahoo Finance Live. And you've got two-, three-, five-year inflation breakevens moving back into the 2.5% range which is largely consistent with the Fed's comfort zone and suggests that the bond market, which tends to get it right more often than anything else, expects inflation to moderate over time.

Thomas Hum is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter: @thomashumTV

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Stagflation in 2022 is the current 'dominant risk:' Infracap CEO - Yahoo Finance

Bitcoin's (BTC-US) bulls and bears have been more active than ever this year as the cryptocurrency hovers around $46,000. Notable heavy hitters have publicly talked up or down the coin as it soared to new highs earlier this year.

Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX founder Elon Musk is arguably the most notable crypto bull, and his tweets can move the coin's price. Bitcoin spiked earlier this year when Tesla initially announced it had bought bitcoin and would soon be accepting it as payment.

"Elon's comments and actions do have an impact on crypto, specifically Bitcoin, specifically Dogecoin (DOGE-USD)," YouTube host Matt Kohrs tells Yahoo Finance.

"Him as a person, I would say it has direct impacts. Other individuals though, I don't really think the effect is as large or really if any," he noted.

Other bitcoin bulls include the founder of Ark Invest, Cathie Wood. Her team is creating a bitcoin-focused ETF. Wood's analysts have a $500,000 price target on the coin.

MicroStrategy's (MSTR) founder and CEO Michael Saylor boldly added the cryptocurrency time and again on his company's balance sheet.

Twitter's (TWTR) CEO Jack Dorsey, a crypto advocate for years, recently said bitcoin will be a big part of the company's future. Twitter is one of big names which have announced strategies involving crypto.

"When you have these big swingers coming out, such as Apple (AAPL) or MasterCard (MA), I mean, that's a big deal. Cause like it gives it credence that it is a legitimate store of value. Something that could be traded as a currency. So I think that's very, very important," said Kohrs, noting the coin is taking on a new "social acceptance."

But the cryptocurrency also has notable bears, including legendary investors Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger.Buffett oncecalled bitcoin "probably rat poison-squared."

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At Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK-A) (BRK-B) annual shareholder meeting in May, Munger said, "Of course, I hate the bitcoin success, and I dont welcome a currency thats useful to kidnappers and extortionists, and so forth ... So, I think I should say modestly that I think the whole damn development is disgusting and contrary to the interests of civilization. And I'll leave the criticism to others." At their 2018 shareholder meeting, Munger called the coin a "turd."

Economist and Stern School of Business professor Nouriel Roubini is another bear. He has told Yahoo Finance, "It's not scaleable, it's not secure, it's not decentralized, it's not a currency."

Even investor Michael Burry has had some bearish remarks warning against a crypto crash.

I dont hate BTC, Burry wrote on Twitter earlier this year. But the long term future is tenuous for decentralized crypto in a world of legally violent, heartless centralized governments with lifeblood interests in monopolies on currencies.

Kohrs, who has a long position on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, says the retail community is often "emboldened" by the bears.

"Anecdotally, from the retail community, especially supporters of crypto, the commentary I see is that they just don't get it," says Kohrs.

Either way, he believes bitcoin is here to stay.

"Bitcoin, culturally and socially, has pinned itself where I just don't see how it loses. Either more and more companies accept it and thats good. Or if people start speaking out against it, it does embolden a certain portion of the audience ... reaching more into that psychological realm of fighting against the man," said Kohrs.

One of the two sides will be right someday. "Decades down the road. I'll either be very right or very wrong," says Kohrs. And so will crypto's bulls and bears.

Ines is a markets reporter covering stocks from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Follow her on Twitter at @ines_ferre

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Bitcoin bulls vs bears: A look at the big names backing and shunning crypto - Yahoo Finance

Blockchain is a type of database composed of a growing list of records, individually known as blocks, that are chained together through computer cryptography. The goal of blockchain is to allow for the recording and distribution of digital information that is unable to be tampered with.

Unlike a typical database where data is electronically stored in a table format, data within a blockchain is stored within its connected blocks, with each block containing information about the block that came before it. It is this characteristic that creates a resistance to modification of a blockchains data, because a change to one blocks information would require the alteration of all subsequent blocks created. And although blockchains are not entirely unalterable, as a collectively agreed-upon update to the network may be known as a fork, blockchains are designed to be foundationally secure.

Blockchains are typically managed through a peer-to-peer network of computers working together to serve as a publicly distributed ledger of data (or transactions). Every node in the network follows a specific protocol which the entire blockchain adheres to in order to validate new blocks and communicate with each other.

Although blockchain comes up in nearly every conversation involving cryptocurrencies, the two terms cannot be used interchangeably. Rather, blockchain is the network and platform through which cryptocurrency is transacted and generated. For example, the ether (ETH-USD) cryptocurrency operates through the ethereum blockchain.

Blockchain technology had been discussed in scientific literature for nearly two decades before the advent of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin (BTC-USD) and ether the two largest by market cap with cryptocurrencies becoming one of the first and most widely known applications of blockchain. In 2009, an individual or group of individuals using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto invented the first cryptocurrency through the bitcoin blockchain to serve as a public ledger for transactions of bitcoin.

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One of the most significant solutions that a digital currency through blockchain technology provides is an answer to the double-spending problem. In addition, it provides this solution along with all of its functionality without the need for a trusted central authority or server. As mentioned previously, because a blockchain network consists of computer nodes which can be located anywhere in the world, blockchains, and therefore cryptocurrencies, operate as completely decentralized platforms.

Decentralization, along with the pseudo-anonymity offered by cryptocurrency as a means of saving and payment as cryptocurrency wallets do not require verification such as state identification to use is one of the themes that has made blockchain technology and cryptocurrency so popular and controversial. Other potential benefits offered by blockchain as a currency platform include 24/7, 365-day operation, transaction fees determined by a market, speed, security, and ease of access.

Digital generated image of glowing semi transparent purple cubes connecting with other cubes and forming big net cubic shape on light purple background.

Although cryptocurrency is undoubtedly the most famous application of blockchain, blockchain technology can be used for many other practical applications as well. For example, the banking and finance industry could benefit greatly from blockchains speed, security, and lack of set hours of operation. Other areas of society and business that could stand to benefit from usage of this technology include federal currencies, the healthcare industry, supply chains, and even democratic elections. Each of these could leverage one or all of the previously mentioned benefits that blockchain has to offer.

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Blockchain: What is it and what does it have to do with crypto? - Yahoo Finance

A new survey from Lending Tree shows that a third of parents are willing to go into debt to get their children ready for the classroom.

That really tells you just how thin the financial margin for error is for so many folks in this country, says Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree.

He tells Yahoo Finance that the average amount parents are expected to spend on back-to-school items is $498. A $500 expense is enough to send an awful lot of people into debt.

Schulz says inflation is a factor in back to school shopping this year, but that the biggest challenges parents face is uncertainty.

Theres no question that inflation is an issue, but really I think maybe the biggest issue is just a lot of the uncertainty that were still seeing in school districts around the country. And the truth is the parents have to be prepared not just to send their kid to learn on campus, but also to be ready in case there are big spikes of COVID at a school and schools get closed down in that particular area, he noted.

So that uncertainty, that flexibility means that youre not just buying backpacks and lunch boxes and, and notebooks and things like that. Youve also still got to worry about things like desks and office chairs and things like that. So all that stuff along with things like hand sanitizer and masks that are just kind of a reality of life. Wherever you go right now it all adds up and its a really expensive situation, Schulz said.

Little girl and her older sister student in a protective medical masks chooses school stationery in a store. Preparing for school. Prevention of coronavirus. Back to school shopping.

Schulz also notes that the reopening of brick-and-mortar retail locations is changing the shopping habits of many parents. He notes that only a quarter of parents say that they will do their back-to-school shopping online, representing a sharp decline from the previous year. Schulz says that in-person shopping can save parents money when it comes to certain items.

Theres a lot to be said for shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. When youre thinking about things like clearance racks and bargain bins especially., if youre just thinking about pencils and pens and paper and all that sort of stuff stuff that you can probably find a little cheaper at some of these brick-and-mortar stores maybe than you would even find at an online retailer, he said.

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Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade.

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A third of parents are willing to go into debt for back-to-school: Survey - Yahoo Finance

The world's largest retailer sees its stock come alive again, finally.

Walmart's stock (WMT) has widely lagged the S&P 500 (^GSPC) this year (3.8% gain for Walmart vs. 18% gain for the S&P 500) as investors fret about slowing sales and earnings growth after a big year of consumers stocking up during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Inflation in labor and transportation (as mentioned by vendors to Walmart in the past few weeks such as Clorox, Proctor & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark) and what that means to Walmart's thin profit margins hasn't aided sentiment on the stock in the market, either.

But shares of Walmart have interestingly tacked on nearly 6% in the last month (S&P 500 +2%) mostly fueled in the past two weeks ahead of the retailer's closely watched second quarter earnings report on Tuesday. J.P. Morgan analyst Christopher Horvers explains the move higher in Walmart's stock makes sense, and is a bit overdue.

"The general sentiment on the stock [is] much more positive over the past month given (1) its dramatic underperformance to retail and staples over the past 12-18 months; (2) July trend improvement on easier compares/back-to-school and the child tax credit (similar to Target/others); and (3) the general shift toward more defensive stocks," Horvers points out in an earnings preview note to clients.

Whether Walmart's stock sustains its recent gains is obviously dependent upon how second quarter earnings shook out and the company's guidance. Expectations for the second quarter appear on the bullish side of things, raising the potential for a take-profits-on-the-news type of earnings day for Walmart.

Whisper numbers on the Street expect Walmart's key U.S. business to post a same-store sales increase of 4% to 6% for the quarter. Walmart's guidance communicated a few months back call for a second quarter U.S. same-store sales gain of low-single digits (percentage).

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Staying on those Street whisper numbers, second quarter earnings are seen hitting $1.65 a share (consensus $1.55). Walmart guided to an earnings decline of low-single digits from $1.56 a year ago.

Given those heightened expectations on the quarter and strong potential for Walmart to say the third quarter has started well, the Street is likely banking on a strong full-year earnings guidance lift from Walmart to sustain the stock's recent gains. Currently, Walmart's full-year profit outlook calls for a low-double digit increase year-over-year excluding exited businesses.

But considering the economic uncertainty around the COVID-19 Delta variant and how it may impact consumer spending during the important back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons, Walmart could take a more muted tone on guidance much to the letdown of the bulls.

Horvers says he understands the appeal of Walmart's stock right now, but suggests sitting out on the name into earnings.

"Net-net, while the stock underperformance and defensiveness given the Delta variant is appealing, at 24x our estimate, we think the stock is relatively full with the market unlikely to roll forward 2Q stacks (though we are positive Walmart could at least hold earnings flat in 2022)," Horvers adds.

Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

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Why Walmart stock has suddenly popped ahead of earnings - Yahoo Finance

Life hacks have become a big deal over the past decade or so, as we all learn some great little shortcuts that can make our lives simpler. Think about that box of tangled cords in your closet use toilet paper/paper towel rolls to organize them! Save your thumbs by using a clothespin to hold a small nail while hammering. My favorite fat guy hack is putting a donut on your cup of coffee for a minute before eating to warm it up perfectly and give you a flavored coffee cup rim!

The question today is how can we hack Average Draft Position resources to help us during our drafts? We assembled a super team of international scientists, 12-year-old boys who take things apart, and failed assistant football coaches, and we figured out how you can use the Average ADP on FantasyPros.com to improve your chances of getting the players you want at discounts, while also avoiding overpaying for other players.

ADP is pretty self-explanatory its where specific players are being drafted. Unfortunately, we all dont draft from the same website, with the same scoring systems and roster settings. While looking at the Average ADP on FantasyPros is helpful because it gives you a general idea of where players are being drafted across the industry, it doesnt help you on your specific draft site as much as youd think. It actually might hurt you a bit!

How Do ADP Draft Hacks Work?

Most fantasy managers are drafting online these days, which means theyre looking at an Available Players pool that is sorted by best available at each position. That often affects the draft order because some managers realize that site is saying this player is the best available, even though their own personal rankings might have him lower.

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ESPN and Yahoo fantasy: How to exploit their rankings using ADP and 'hack' the draft room to your advantage - The Athletic

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) on Monday will announce revised nutrition standards dramatically boosting average food stamp benefits, the agency confirmed on Sunday.

The New York Times first reported the plan to unveil the largest permanent benefits increase in the history of the government's primary anti-hunger program, saying the change would result in average benefits rising more than 25% versus pre-pandemic levels.

Under the new rules, average monthly benefits, $121 per person before the pandemic, will rise by $36 starting in October, the newspaper reported, adding that all 42 million people in the program would receive additional aid.

At the same time, a temporary 15% increase in benefits as part of pandemic relief is set to expire Sept. 30. The $3.5 billion boost approved earlier this year provides about $27 more per person, per month, or over $100 more a month for a household of four, in additional food stamp benefits.

The USDA plans a media briefing on Monday to detail the changes, but a spokeswoman for the agency, Kate Waters, confirmed the Times report in an email.

Under a 2018 law, the agency has been evaluating its rules to estimate the cost of a nutritious diet called the Thrifty Food Plan, which is used to calculate food stamp benefits, which are formally known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Last week, House of Representatives Democrats on the Agriculture Committee's subcommittee overseeing nutrition issues called the re-evaluation "a critically important step towards ensuring that SNAP benefits adequately support a nutritious diet."

The Democrats added that "research shows that, while SNAP reduces food insecurity and improves health outcomes for recipients, benefits are too low to fully meet their nutritional needs."

Last week, the senior congressional Republicans on two agriculture committees asked the Government Accountability Office to conduct an analysis of the USDA's update of the Thrifty Food Plan.

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The Times said the new plan would raise the $79 billion annual programs costs by about $20 billion versus pre-pandemic levels.

The USDA said in 2019 that about 11% of the U.S. population was covered by the program.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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Biden administration confirms it will boost food stamps by record amount - Yahoo News

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act otherwise known as HIPAA has become a major topic of discussion amid the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines as some individuals who have been asked about their vaccination status claim that the question is a violation of HIPAA.

For example, when asked about his vaccination status, Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott said: I don't necessarily think that's exactly important. I think that's HIPAA. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) made similar remarks after a reporter asked if she was vaccinated, stating that with HIPAA rights, we don't have to reveal our medical records, and that also includes our vaccine records.

These assertions are incorrect, according to Marc Haskelson, president and CEO of Compliancy Group, a company that assists health care institutions with achieving HIPAA compliance.

Misunderstanding it is very common, Haskelson told Yahoo Finance. Its really a shame because if people really understood its purpose, I think people would be much happier about its existence.

Dak Prescott, who claimed that a question about his vaccination status was a HIPAA violation, watches from the sidelines during the first half of the NFL preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on August 13, 2021 in Glendale, Ariz. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty)

Confusion about what HIPAA actually is and how it's implemented is common, which Haskelson attributed to the fact that the law's original definition pertained to the exchange of insurance and billing information between providers and insurance companies.

But in todays world, he said, its far more revolved around protecting privacy albeit with some caveats.

HIPAA was implemented in 1996 by President Clinton as a way to strike a balance that permits important uses of information, while protecting the privacy of people who seek care and healing.

In other words, HIPAA is Americas primary health care privacy law.

What it really is for us is the concept that your health information is yours, and it should be protected by anybody who interacts with [it], Haskelson said. The original history of HIPAA was really around abuse of peoples private health care information. Its everything from your name, your Social Security number, to things like a picture of your eyeball during a surgical procedure.

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That information, he explained, is very valuable.

What it does is its supposed to be a set of standards that says anybody whos involved with your information whether its a doctors office or a billing company everybody involved is supposed to maintain a minimum standard around privacy and secure the information, Haskelson said. Thats the purpose.

Not all entities are bound by HIPAA. According to HIPAA Journal, the law applies to the majority of workers, most health insurance providers, and employers who sponsor or co-sponsor employee health insurance plans. Those who do not have to abide by HIPAA include life insurers, most schools and school districts, many state agencies, most law enforcement agencies, and many municipal offices.

HIPAA also contains an exception for the disclosure of public health activities, which recognizes the need to report vital events like births and deaths as well as information on the spread of infectious diseases.

Employees enter vaccine record information during a COVID mobile vaccine clinic at California State University Long Beach campus on August 11, 2021. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP)

Another key provision of HIPAA is that it ensures that you have access to your personal health information and prohibits doctors from keeping that info from you. This is called rights of access and requires HIPAA-covered entities to provide individuals with their medical records, billing records, enrollment, payment, claims adjudication, and other related records upon request.

It allows you as a consumer to call it that you have every right to see the information thats contained about you and to modify it if its incorrect, Haskelson said.

This is crucial if your information on file is incorrect since it can affect life insurance applications and other important forms, as was the case for Haskelson.

Haskelson once pulled a muscle in his rib cage and experienced pain while breathing as a result. After visiting his doctor, the physician recorded it as chest pains rather than a pulled muscle. When Haskelson went to update his life insurance two years later, he was denied because of that note on his record.

Under HIPAA, I had the right to call my doctors office and say, Could you please correct the record that I didnt come there for chest pains, that I came there because of the cartilage and I needed a chest wrapper? Haskelson said. It made it look like I had a heart attack, and therefore they wanted to deny me life insurance.

A Covid-19 vaccine record card is seen at Florida Memorial University Vaccination Site in Miami Gardens, Florida on April 14, 2021. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)

So does HIPAA apply to COVID vaccination status?

The answer is no, according to Haskelson, because the coronavirus is a serious public health risk. Consequently, discussions around vaccination status or status of having COVID are also considered a matter of public health.

This is like polio, Haskelson said. This is not subjective, how you feel about something. This is a world health risk. Whatever your political beliefs are or your religious beliefs are, this is to protect everybody.

And while Haskelson didnt think the vaccine question posed to Dak Prescott was necessarily appropriate, it wasnt the HIPAA violation that Prescott claimed it was for two reasons: a medical provider wasn't being asked about Prescott's health information, and COVID is a public health issue anyway.

Furthermore, because COVID is a public health issue, businesses technically have the right to ask for proof of vaccination status from their customers and workers, with some limitations.

What I'm not allowed to ask is: If you had COVID, what were the symptoms you had? Haskelson said. Because that's your personal health information. But the concept of the vaccination because I get asked all the time, They won't let them back in school unless they get a vaccine and all that and I'm like, 'Look, this is public health.'

Adriana Belmonte is a reporter and editor covering politics and health care policy for Yahoo Finance. You can follow her on Twitter @adrianambells and reach her at adriana@yahoofinance.com.

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What is HIPAA? What the health privacy law does and doesn't protect - Yahoo Finance

Consumers are finding it hard to ditch their comfy clothes worn for most of the pandemic despite becoming more mobile post COVID-19 vaccinations.

And that continues to play right into the bottom line of Foot Locker (FL).

"We have talked about this cozy, comfortable work-from-home/school sort of look. But the truth is that we have got the uniform of the consumer," Foot Locker CEO Richard Johnson told analysts on an earnings call Friday. "This T-shirt, short and fleece sort of uniform that they are wearing is even more pronounced, and I think will be more pronounced as we go into this back-to-school season."

Foot Locker benefited from the ongoing comfy clothing trend in several ways during the second quarter, much to the surprise of Wall Street forecasters.

First, the company's apparel business saw sales increase by a double-digit percentage. Foot Locker has made a push in recent quarters to trendier hoodies and joggers (notably by Nike) with a street vibe look, and consumers appear to be responding favorably.

"We're doing a better job selling apparel in the stores. For the longest time, it was just sort of an add-on opportunity for our team, but now we've got people that are really focused on selling apparel. We're trying to make sure that it's a full-service opportunity for us to help people get into the right pieces," Johnson explained.

To help fill out that all-day casual look, shoppers bought more shoes in the quarter. Foot Locker said footwear sales rose by a low-single percentage, powered by women and kids categories. The company cited strength behind casual brands such as Crocs and Uggs.

Here is how Foot Locker performed in the second quarter, compared to Wall Street analyst estimates:

Net Sales: $2.28 billion vs. $2.09 billion

Same-Store Sales: +6.9% vs. -1.4%

Gross Profit Margin: 35.1% vs. 30.4%

Adjusted Diluted EPS: $2.21 vs. $1.01

Foot Locker shares soared 10% in afternoon trading Friday. The stock is up 46% year-to-date vs. an 18% gain for the S&P 500, according to Yahoo Finance Plus data.

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Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

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Consumers still love their hoodies and sweatpants: Foot Locker CEO - Yahoo Finance