All articles tagged with #business
The Iran conflict is disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, hindering access to key fertilizer inputs like ammonia and urea and risking higher global food prices as fertilizer costs rise and the supply chain tightens ahead of spring planting; US farmers already face uncertain shipments and higher diesel costs, signaling potential impact on crop yields and grocery costs if disruptions persist.
NBCUniversal will end 'Access Hollywood' and 'Access Live' along with other daytime talk shows, winding down its first-run syndication as streaming erodes daytime viewership; production wraps this summer, while the company will continue distributing its library and stations fill hours with more local news.
Reuters reports Meta is planning sweeping layoffs that could reach 20% of its staff to offset costly AI infrastructure bets and push for efficiency through AI-assisted work, though no date or final size has been set. Meta employed about 79,000 people as of late 2022 and has already pursued large AI-focused investments, including billions in data-center expansion planned by 2028 and acquisitions such as Moltbook and Manus, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on AI. The moves reflect a broader tech-industry trend of cutting jobs to fund AI initiatives, following similar actions at Amazon and Block, though Meta’s AI efforts—like the Avocado model after earlier Llama 4 setbacks—have faced delays and underwhelming performance.
Paramount+ will fold BET+ into its service in June after Paramount Skydance buys out Tyler Perry Studios’ stake, migrating about 1,000 hours of BET+ programming—including All the Queen’s Men, Zatima, The Ms. Pat Show and Diarra From Detroit—to Paramount+. Perry will continue to produce BET content under a broad content-partnership, with BET’s linear channel and digital operations remaining active as the brands consolidate to broaden reach.
Honda says rumors it will end Prologue production in December are unfounded and the Prologue remains in its lineup. Built on GM's Ultium platform in Mexico, the model is part of Honda's broader EV retreat as demand wanes after incentives ended, following cuts to other EV programs (including the Acura RSX and the ZDX) and ahead of a projected multibillion-dollar loss, with a shift toward hybrids.
The Trump administration plans to release 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve over 120 days, reducing the SPR to about 243 million barrels—the lowest level since 1982—while pledging to replenish roughly 200 million barrels within the next year.
Amazon will raise the price of Prime Video’s ad-free tier in the U.S. to $4.99 per month, rebranding it as Prime Video Ultra with benefits like up to five concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads, and 4K/UHD streaming; this is on top of the existing Prime membership (currently $14.99/month or $139/year).
Rivian unveiled the R2, a midsize SUV designed to eventually start under $50k, but initial trims run about $55k–$60k (Launch edition $59,485 and Premium $55,485) with a later $45k version planned. Rivian targets 20,000–25,000 sales this year and has claimed over 100,000 reservations since mid-2024, though no new numbers have been released. Early reviews are positive, but success hinges on ramping production and converting price-sensitive buyers amid stiff EV competition, especially Tesla’s Model Y. A strong R2 could push Rivian toward mass-market status, while a failure could threaten the company.
Oscars prediction markets have exploded in volume, with Kalshi around $48.4M and Polymarket adding tens of millions, pushing total Oscar-contract trading past $100M ahead of the ceremony. Bets have swung between Timothée Chalamet and Michael B. Jordan after SAG, while regulators note that voting secrecy remains. Kalshi restricts Academy members from trading and touts surveillance to curb malfeasance, as DraftKings also offers Oscar bets but with far less activity.
The piece highlights three high-yield dividend picks to buy for income and stability in a volatile market: Realty Income (O) yielding about 5% with a raised monthly payout of $0.2705; EPR Properties (EPR) yielding ~6.37% with in-line Q4 FFO and 2026 guidance; and Verizon (VZ) yielding around 5.6% after a dividend hike. It notes these names can offer passive income and portfolio resilience, with dividend-focused ETFs like VYM as an alternative for exposure to steady dividend growth.
Paramount Skydance is buying out Tyler Perry’s 25% stake in BET+ and folding BET+ content into Paramount+, phasing BET+ out as a standalone service with its catalog moving to Paramount+ starting in June 2026. Terms of the stake sale weren’t disclosed; BET’s channels, BET Studios, and BET Digital will continue, with BET content prominently featured in the Paramount+ hub as part of Paramount’s multiplatform strategy.
Southwest will end service to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Washington Dulles (IAD) on June 4 as part of a profitability-driven network overhaul; the ORD exit could free gates for American and United as Southwest emphasizes its MDW base. The IAD departure drew disappointment from MWAA. Travelers affected can rebook to nearby airports or receive refunds—ORD passengers can switch to MDW, IND, or MKE, while IAD travelers can choose BWI, DCA, PHL, or RIC.
PwC confirmed 23-year-old Demarre Johnson, known from a viral Interview magazine spread about the ‘finest boys in finance,’ left the firm in mid-February; the exit was not linked to the magazine appearance, which sparked debate about Wall Street image and raised questions around media access among banks like Goldman Sachs and Barclays.
A federal judge blocked DOJ subpoenas to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in a probe tied to the renovation of Fed offices, ruling the subpoenas were issued for an improper purpose to pressure Powell over interest-rate decisions; Powell defended Fed independence amid political pressure, as lawmakers react and the Fed prepares its upcoming rate decision.
Oil prices stay above $100 as the Iran war disrupts energy supplies, sparking inflation fears and a selloff in European stocks. The move has investors reevaluating central-bank paths, with Fed easing pricing trimming to about 20 basis points from last month’s expectations while markets await upcoming policy meetings; a stronger dollar and rising yields underscore the shift in risk sentiment and volatility ahead.