Why TikTok Users Are Blocking Celebrities
As protests over the war in Gaza unfolded blocks away, last week’s Met Gala was largely devoid of political statements on the red carpet. That the organizers of fashion’s most powerful annual spectacle (one for which tickets cost $75,000 this year) achieved this proved surprising to many observers. Less than two weeks later, though, a […]
UAW Loses Unionization Vote at Mercedes Factories in Alabama
Workers at two Mercedes-Benz factories near Tuscaloosa, Ala., voted on Friday against joining the United Automobile Workers, a stunning blow to the union’s campaign to gain ground in the South, where it has traditionally been weak. The defeat came after Kay Ivey, Alabama’s governor, and other Republican leaders argued that a pro-union vote would choke […]
What the Supreme Court Ruling Means for Other Consumer Bureau Actions
The Supreme Court’s ruling on Thursday upholding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding mechanism will clear the way to resume a score of court cases that involve the agency but were frozen during the legal challenge, potentially including new rules for payday lenders and penalties against a money transmitter. But the ruling falls far short […]
In About-Face, Wall Street’s Big Donors Warm to Trump
When President Donald J. Trump left office, some of Wall Street’s biggest names, who had taken to him during his first term in the White House, swore they were moving on from him for good. They were fatigued by his leadership style, disappointed by some of his policies and shocked by the U.S. Capitol riot. […]
FSA vs. HSA: What to Know About the Accounts to Pay Medical Costs
The research firm Morningstar evaluated 10 H.S.A. plans in October using criteria like fees, interest on savings and investment choices. (The firm looked only at accounts available directly to individuals, rather than those offered through employers, so details may vary.) Fidelity Investments was the only provider rated “high” overall for both spending and investing. Its […]
As the 2024 Race Heats Up, Betting Is Growing for Everything but Elections
I can’t watch a basketball game on TV without seeing ads urging me to place a bet on one app or another. I can’t walk down the street in New York City without seeing ads about the latest lottery jackpot. And when I sit at my desk in the office, I spend hours studying another […]
A Supreme Court Victory for the CFPB Won’t End a Regulatory Fight
Regulatory wars The Supreme Court lifted the existential threat hanging over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, rejecting a challenge to the agency’s funding. The decision could have huge consequences for a raft of conservative-led lawsuits involving administrative authority — but business groups and Republicans are vowing to fight on. A recap: Payday lenders had sued […]
Preakness Stakes Welcomes Trainer Barred From Kentucky Derby
The racetrack known as Old Hilltop has long been a safe space for the trainer Bob Baffert. Eight times he has come to Baltimore with a horse fast enough to leave with the blanket of black-eyed Susans that are draped over the withers of the Preakness Stakes winner. The green stakes barn with white trim […]
Some A.I. Companies Face a New Accusation: ‘Open Washing’
SHOP TALK /ō-pən-wä-shĭng/ An accusation against some A.I. companies that they are using the “open source” label too loosely. By Sarah Kessler Shop Talk explores the idioms of the business world: the insider jargon, the newly coined terms, the unfortunate or overused phrases. There’s a big debate in the tech world over whether artificial intelligence […]
China Says It Will Start Buying Apartments as Housing Slump Worsens
Chinese officials signaled their growing alarm over the country’s worsening property market on Friday, unveiling a plan to step in to buy up some of the vast housing stock and announcing even looser rules for mortgages. The flurry of activity came just hours after new economic data revealed that Chinese authorities are staring at a […]