What’s going on here? Thomas Cook, the world’s oldest travel company, has abruptly shut down, leaving 500,000 stranded passengers around the world feverishly Googling “max number of days it’s ok to wear the same socks.” All 21,000 of its employees’ jobs at risk. FYI: The 178-year-old U.K.-based firm specialized in low-cost package vacations, bundling flights and accommodations in over…
Category: Daily News
Ep 63: No-Fly Zone
What’s Going On Here? The 178-year-old travel company Thomas Cook collapsed after last-minute bailout talks with lenders fell through. What Does This Mean? Thomas Cook might seem like the latest in a line of British companies that have been grounded. But make no mistake: this isn’t another Debenhams, where the company keeps operating under the control…
Ep 62: That Shrinking Feeling
What’s Going On Here? German economic activity shrank in September for the first time in six and a half years – and the jury’s out on just how deep this rabbit-hole could go. What Does This Mean? Monthly surveys ask companies in the manufacturing and services sectors how busy they’ve been. And in September, those in the…
Ep 61: Microsoft? Word
What’s Going On Here? Microsoft, the world’s biggest public company, got even bigger when investors double-clicked its stock after it announced a higher-than-expected dividend and fresh round of share buybacks. What Does This Mean? Even if you don’t own Microsoft shares directly, its sheer size – 4% of the US stock market – gives it a lot of sway over…
Ep 60: New money-laundering rules change everything for cryptocurrency exchanges
Complying with regulators could mean the difference between going mainstream and remaining forever on the margins of the global financial system. What’s going on here? One of the biggest knocks against cryptocurrency has always been its status as a refuge for tech-savvy criminals. The image persists, in part because some crypto firms have evaded regulators by…
Ep 59: Why CEOs Surround M&A Announcements with Unrelated Good News
What is this about? Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are among the most consequential strategic decisions managers make. But markets often respond negatively to acquisition announcements, which means investors are skeptical about the transactions, their terms, or managerial motivations. Prior research suggests such skepticism may be well-founded: In quarters following acquisitions, CEOs in the U.S. are…
Ep 58: Mobile payments have barely caught on in the US
Key points Compared with China, India and other parts of the world, the U.S. is way behind in adopting mobile payments. It seems odd considering the ubiquity of smartphones in America. But experts say a deeply embedded legacy system and rewards cards make it unlikely that we’ll see a major shift anytime soon. What’s going on…
Ep 57: Apple Says I’m Sorry Over Siri Recordings
What happened Apple apologized for a series of privacy oopsies involving its voice assistant, Siri Apple came under fire for hiring hundreds of third-party contractors to listen to recordings of user interactions with Siri to train and improve the artificial intelligence (AI) product. Apple said less than 0.2% of all Siri requests were reviewed using audio samples….
Ep 56: Trump will raise tariff rates on Chinese goods
Long story short President Donald Trump says the U.S. will hike tariffs on most imports from China as his trade war with Beijing escalates. The U.S. will raise duties on $250 billion in Chinese goods to 30% from 25% and increase tariffs on another $300 billion in products to 15% from 10%. Earlier, China announced…
Ep 55: The Way Of Diversification
What’s Going On Here? The world’s largest pension fund revealed its stock, bond, and currency investments all followed one another and lost money at the end of last year. What Does This Mean? A “diversified portfolio” – comprising stocks, bonds, and more – is a good way to offset any losses in one asset with gains elsewhere. And by rebalancing regularly, a…
with HT 