MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2024
Economy
Low-Rate Mortgages Are Hard to Snap Up
Millions of frustrated home buyers are facing obstacles in their attempts to take over sellers' low-rate mortgages, as servicers are causing delays and rejections in the process of transferring loans, making it difficult to snap up existing low-rate mortgages.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2024
Business
Facebook Turns 20: From Dorm to Metaverse
Facebook celebrates its 20th anniversary as it has transformed from a college startup into Meta Platforms, one of the world's largest companies, with a market cap exceeding $1 trillion, expanding its reach into social media, communications, and immersive virtual worlds known as the metaverse, while also facing scrutiny over its influence and impact on society.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024
Business
Toyota Is Cashing In As Hybrid Sales Boom
Toyota forecasts record profits driven by the booming sales of gas-electric vehicles, outpacing pure electric vehicles, as competitors reconsider their EV strategies and prioritize hybrids due to charging concerns and cost-effectiveness.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024
Business
America’s Biggest Bank Believes in Branches
JPMorgan Chase plans to build 500 new branches in the next three years, doubling down on its strategy of investing in physical locations despite the trend towards digital banking, as the bank believes branches remain crucial for attracting new customers and providing financial advice.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024
Business
India Startup Byju’s Is a Cautionary Tale
India's ed-tech startup Byju's, once valued at $22 billion, is now planning to raise funds at an implied valuation of $250 million or less, serving as a cautionary tale for global investors who rush into the next big thing without conducting thorough due diligence.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2024
Business
A Property Giant Falls in Europe
Signa Holding, once a thriving global real estate company led by René Benko, has collapsed into the largest property bankruptcy in Europe since the global financial crisis, leaving lenders and investors facing significant losses and numerous half-built developments at a standstill.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2024
Business
Amazon’s Newest Rivals Step Into Online Retailer’s Territory—Literally
Fast-fashion company Shein and TikTok's shopping unit are expanding in Amazon's territory in Seattle, recruiting its employees and investing in U.S. logistics and supply-chain operations, posing a significant threat to Amazon's retail dominance.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2024
Economy
Investors Are Almost Always Wrong on Fed
Investors remain convinced that interest rates will be reduced later this year despite concerns about inflation, but their track record on predicting rate changes has been unreliable.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2024
Insights
Fed Economy Seems Immune to Rate Hikes
Despite the Federal Reserve's increase in interest rates, the American economy has shown resilience, and there are three plausible explanations: booming productivity, government fiscal spending, and a delayed impact of monetary policy, each leading to different predictions for the markets and causing uncertainty among investors.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2024
Properties
Why London’s Wealthy Choose Rentals
The prime rental market in London is thriving as wealthy individuals opt for flexible and minimal-commitment housing options instead of buying property in a stalled market, leading to escalating prime rents, but landlords face challenges in attracting high-paying tenants who expect luxurious standards and dealing with dwindling profit margins due to increased interest rates and changes in tax regulations.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10 - 11, 2024
D&I
America’s Workforce by Race and Gender: Data Show Who Fills Certain Occupations
New government data reveals the gender and racial composition of various occupations in the United States, showing significant disparities such as a high representation of women in dental hygiene and a predominance of white individuals in the legal profession, highlighting the skewed distribution of certain occupations based on gender and race.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10 - 11, 2024
Economy
We’re Not Eating Enough Bacon
The American pork industry is struggling with an oversupply issue due to ineffective marketing campaigns, misconceptions about cooking pork, and competition from more affordable meats like chicken, resulting in a decline in demand for pork products such as bacon; potential solutions being considered include expanding into new markets, repositioning pork as an affordable alternative to beef, and promoting proper cooking techniques, but the industry faces challenges in attracting younger consumers.