HOW COSTCO QUIETLY BUILT A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR CLOTHING EMPIRE
Costco has become one of the world’s biggest clothing retailers. from 2019 to 2024, it grew its annual apparel segment sales from $7 billion to $9.7 billion, a nearly 40% increase, according to estimates by globaldata. while the apparel segment is still a relatively small portion of costco’s ov ..HOW THE S&P 500 QUIETLY BECAME AN AI FUND
The s&p 500 index has long been a go-to investment for those seeking broad market exposure, but that may be changing. ai-fueled growth in companies like nvidia, microsoft and apple has given them outsized influence, with the top five companies now making up nearly 30% of the index. watch the video a ..WE SAW A NEW AI-PILOTED FIGHTER DRONE ABOUT TO TRANSFORM WARFARE
Multiple startups all the way to defense giants like lockheed martin are betting that a new generation of advanced drones will define the future of warfare. shield ai gave cnbc an exclusive first look at the x-bat, its new ai-powered fighter jet. the company has quickly become a rising force in defe ..COULD AI BECOME CONSCIOUS?
The societal debate surrounding ai companions isn’t just about their effects on humans. increasingly it’s about whether the companions can have human-like experiences. in a research paper, titled “taking ai welfare seriously,” robert long, the executive director of eleos ai, and his colleag ..HOW WAWA IS BEATING FAST FOOD COMPANIES AT THEIR OWN GAME
One of america’s largest convenience store chains, wawa, has gained a cultlike following in its home markets of philadelphia and south jersey due to its sharp focus on food and customer service. its revenue is estimated to have more than doubled since 2014, and its workforce has grown nearly 90% s ..HOW NIKE’S NEW CEO PLANS TO TURN THINGS AROUND
Nike is the world’s largest sportswear brand, but after several quarters of disappointing results, its comeback plan is just beginning. longtime executive elliott hill, who came out of retirement to become ceo, says he’s betting on a “return to sport” to revive the brand. in an exclusive int ..WHY EVS DEPRECIATE FASTER THAN GAS CARS
Ev’s are cheaper to operate than a gas car, but their resale values are horrible. it’s a mix of factors - incentives, changing tech and limited appeal. it’s a problem for ev adoption, especially as automakers try to attract more mainstream buyers. here’s why they can be more expensive to own ..WHY YOUNGER AMERICANS ARE SAVING MONEY AT SUCH A HIGH RATE
As americans live longer and worry about outlasting their money in retirement, a growing number are counting on one strategy for their future financial security: working longer. roughly 70% of u.s. workers who haven’t retired yet have considered pushing back their retirement date, according to a ..THE $1 TRILLION TANGLED WEB OF AI DEALS MAPPED OUT
The pace and scale of artificial intelligence infrastructure deals lately has been staggering, with openai, the maker of chatgpt, alone racking up around one trillion dollars worth of ai deals this year. these interconnected investments between companies like nvidia, oracle, broadcom, coreweave, met ..WHY THE AI BOOM MIGHT BE A BUBBLE?
Artificial intelligence is driving a wave of corporate investment unlike any in decades, with forecasts calling for $500 billion in global ai spending by 2026. experts describe this as a "capex supercycle," but warn it may be propping up an otherwise fragile u.s. economy. if ai spending slows or fai ..WHAT THE U.S. CAN LEARN FROM CANADA'S BANKING SYSTEM
Fdic data shows that the u.s. has nearly 4,500 banks. canada has only 79 banks, according to the canadian bankers association. however, america’s banking industry is consolidating. fdic-insured banks in the u.s. are down by nearly half since 2005.HOW COSTCO’S CLOTHING BUSINESS BECAME BIGGER THAN ABERCROMBIE AND GAP
Clothing may not be the first thing that comes to mind when shoppers think about costco, but its apparel sales are more than some of the biggest brands like calvin klein, tommy hilfiger and old navy. it has grown the category more than 40% over the past five years, which is significantly more than i ..JEFF BEZOS-BACKED SLATE PLANS TO BUILD AN AFFORDABLE EV TRUCK IN THE U.S.
Slate automotive, a jeff bezos-backed startup, aims to sell a customizable, american-made ev pickup for under $30,000. cnbc’s robert ferris reports from detroit — take a look.WHY SORA 2 BY OPENAI IS FREAKING OUT THE MOVIE INDUSTRY
The launch of openai’s sora 2 text-to-video generation kicked off another round of anxiety among intellectual property holders in the united states. major hollywood studios objected to openai’s copyright policies, leading to changes in how the model handles prompts for certain sensitive categori ..HOW TRUMP’S $100K H-1B VISA FEE WILL RESHAPE BIG TECH
President trump announced plans to impose a $100,000 fee on new h-1b visa applications — a sharp increase from the current cost of a few thousand dollars. the proposal, aimed at encouraging companies to hire more american workers, could significantly impact tech firms that rely on skilled foreign ..APPLE GOES ALL IN ON CUSTOM CHIPS
Iphone air is the big newcomer among apple's latest lineup that went on sale friday, but inside the slim phone's raised plateau is another new piece of hardware that signals a renewed focus on artificial intelligence. apple's custom a19 pro chip introduces a major architecture change, with neural a ..WHY TRUMP WANTS TO FIRE FEDERAL WORKERS
The government may fire thousands of unionized federal workers during the shutdown that began in october. this effort was foreshadowed in project 2025, what some consider a blueprint for conservative governance. several authors from the document are now senior-level members of the trump administrati ..WHAT INSPIRED RIVIAN’S UNIQUE HEADLIGHT DESIGN?
Rivian debuted its all-electric pickup, the r1t, in 2018 and has since built a passionate fan base around a brand that caters to adventure and the outdoors. now it’s preparing for its next chapter: the r2, a smaller and more affordable spin on the r1s suv, and the r3, a rally-inspired hatchback. c ..WHY 'BUY NOW, PAY LATER' MAY THREATEN BIG BANKS
An estimated 86.5 million americans used buy now, pay later loans in 2024, according to emarketer, and that number could rise to 91.5 million in 2025. find out what's behind the popularity and why traditional lenders such as banks and credit card companies are wary of consumers who use these progra ..WHY U.S. 7-ELEVENS ARE ADOPTING JAPAN’S PLAYBOOK
America's largest convenience store chain, 7-eleven, is going through a major transformation. its new ceo, stephen dacus, wants to make its stores more like its japanese locations where the focus will be on freshly made food. watch the video to learn more about how parent company seven & i holdings ..HOW DIGITAL PRICE TAGS ARE CHANGING FOOD SHOPPING
Electronic shelf labels are on the rise in american grocery stores. lawmakers fear that the technology could pave the way to surge pricing, but experts say that's not the kind of dynamic pricing consumers should expect. chapters: 0:00 introduction 1:18 chapter 1: the rise of electronic shelf labels ..WHY HEALTH CARE IS AT THE CENTER OF THE U.S. GOVT. SHUTDOWN
If congress doesn't extend some affordable care act tax credits, health-care premiums are expected to rise at the end of the year for some americans. lawmakers could not agree on extending the credits, partially leading to the current government shutdown. produced and edited by: andrea miller, kare ..HOW THE U.S. RETIREMENT SYSTEM COULD IMPROVE
Retirement funding looks very different depending on where you live. while the united states leans heavily on voluntary 401(k)-style savings plans, other nations rely on mandatory contributions or more traditional pensions to ensure broad coverage and steady income. watch the full video to see how ..HOW STABLECOINS COULD HELP SMALL BUSINESSES SLASH CREDIT CARD FEES
Stablecoins are popping up in interesting places after congress and the white house signed the genius act, or guiding and establishing national innovation for u.s. stablecoins act, building a framework to regulate stablecoin usage. now small and medium-sized businesses are looking for ways to ..WHY THIS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS DIFFERENT
The federal government shuts down when lawmakers in congress cannot agree on a budget. this has occurred at least 20 times over the past 50 years according to the investment team at truist. the historical record suggests that there will be minimal impact on markets or the broader economy, barring a ..WHY THE AMAZON-HERTZ DEAL WORRIES DEALERSHIPS
Hertz's partnership with amazon is another step in the e-commerce giant’s slow march into auto sales. the deal could be a boon for the rental car giant, which is trying to sell more of its cars directly to consumers. some experts say the shift toward direct online sales, especially involving e-com ..HOW U.S. AIRPORTS CAN PREVENT AIRPLANE COLLISIONS
Honeywell is developing a series of new cockpit alerts, known as “surf-a” for surface alert, aimed at preventing collisions at or around airports. serious aviation accidents are rare, but the united states is the busiest aviation market in the world, and safety experts have urged more advanced c ..THE ALARMING RISE OF AI APPS CREATING EXPLICIT IMAGES OF REAL PEOPLE
As ai evolves, it’s brought with it an alarming rise in “nudify” tools - hundreds of apps and sites that can now easily make fake explicit imagery from photos of anyone, including children. one man in minneapolis used one of these sites to create graphic content of more than 80 women, includin ..THE BIG PROBLEM WITH MAMDANI’S CITY-RUN GROCERY STORES IN NYC
Grocery prices in u.s. urban areas have tripled over the past 40 years, straining household budgets, according to the u.s. bureau of labor statistics. zohran mamdani, the democratic winner of new york city’s mayoral primary, is proposing city-owned grocery stores to "keep prices low, not make a pr ..AMAZON ENTERS THE ROBOTAXI RACE WITH ZOOX LAUNCH
Five years after its splashy $1.3 billion acquisition of zoox, amazon has officially entered the u.s. robotaxi race, which to date has been dominated by alphabet’s waymo. zoox’s first public launch kicked off earlier in september on the las vegas strip. the company is offering free rides from a ..WHY SO MANY AMERICANS ARE CLINGING TO THEIR JOBS
The u.s. labor market is showing signs of stagnation. people are quitting their jobs at the lowest rate in recent years and companies are hiring at their slowest pace in more than a decade. now, employees are opting to stay in jobs that may not be fulfilling. experts say fears of inflation, layoffs ..CHINESE LUCKIN IS TAKING ON THE U.S. COFFEE MARKET
China's largest coffee chain is taking on the u.s. luckin coffee, which unseated starbucks as the top chain in china, is now making a big play in america. as of mid-september, luckin has opened 5 locations in new york city.HOW WEALTHY AMERICANS ARE KEEPING CAR DEALERSHIPS AFLOAT
While the average americans have a hard time paying their loans or getting new ones, automakers and dealers are posting record profits. and it's all thanks to the rich. in the past five years, the share of people buying cars above $50,000 have increased by several-fold. chasing the rich is the new g ..HOW APPLE’S NEW IPHONE CHIPS ENABLE ON-DEVICE AI
Iphone air was the big star unveiled by apple in early september, but inside was another hardware set launched that day: three new custom apple microchips. apple’s a19 pro soc prioritizes ai workloads with neural accelerators added to the gpu cores. replacing broadcom and qualcomm parts is the n1 ..THE $1.6 BILLION PLAN TO FIX THE PANAMA CANAL'S DROUGHT PROBLEM
After a historic drought that paralyzed vessel transits through the panama canal, the panama canal authority is moving ahead with major investments in new infrastructure to mitigate future droughts and the risk of low water levels that in recent years plagued the key global trade gateway.HOW FAKES, FRAUDS AND SCAMS CAME WITH WALMART’S DIGITAL BOOM
In its race to rival amazon and become the next great “everything store,” walmart leveraged its brick-and-mortar empire to grow into a major player online. and it didn’t take long for the world’s biggest retailer to build a massive digital marketplace with hundreds of millions of products an ..HOW DID THE U.S. BECOME SO DEPENDENT ON SPACEX?
Spacex is valued at around $400 billion and is critical for u.s. space access. today, the company dominates large parts of the space market from launch to satellites. spacex’s dragon capsule and falcon 9 rocket are the primary means by which nasa launches astronauts and supplies to the internatio ..WHY JOBS ARE DISAPPEARING IN THE U.S.
Relatively few people are finding new jobs in the united states. the slowdown in hiring comes as businesses navigate rapidly evolving federal policies on taxes, trade and immigration. in the backdrop, younger people are struggling to find work in software development and marketing roles that may be ..HOW THE STATE AND LOCAL TAX DEDUCTION AFFECTS HOMEOWNERS
President donald trump’s “big beautiful bill” raised the state and local tax deduction, known as salt, to $40,000 for 2025. the change comes less than a decade after a cap was placed on this tax break for the first time in its history. here's what the change means for taxpayers.HOW CHINESE LUCKIN IS TAKING ON STARBUCKS IN THE U.S.
Luckin coffee, the chain that quickly overtook starbucks in china, has opened its first u.s. locations in new york city. while the company, founded in 2017, is expected to expand rapidly, it has already lived through a major fraud scandal and bankruptcy in its home market. so now the question is: ca ..WHY ‘BUY NOW, PAY LATER’ PLANS ARE THREATENING BANKS AND CREDIT CARDS
Buy now, pay later plans are emerging as a popular alternative to credit cards. according to emarketer, an estimated 86.5 million americans used these loans in 2024, with the number projected to rise to 91.5 million in 2025. while consumers are embracing the trend, big banks and financial institutio ..THE $1.6 BILLION PLAN TO SAVE THE PANAMA CANAL
The panama canal is one of the world’s most vital shipping routes. about 14,000 vessels transit the waterway annually including about 40% of all u.s. container traffic. but recent droughts have plagued the artery. a drought in 2023 and 2024 forced the canal’s operator, the panama canal authority ..THE TRUE COST OF TRUMP'S TARIFFS: AMERICAN FARMERS SPEAK OUT
Amid u.s.-china trade tensions, china, once the top buyer of u.s. soybeans, has halted pre-orders. that’s a loss of 21% of exports, reigniting farmers’ fears of a repeat of the agricultural loss of 2018. however, the trump administration is rolling out aid to support affected farmers. while crop ..WHY LACROSSE IS TRYING TO EXPAND BEYOND WEALTHY AMERICANS
One of north america’s oldest sports is now the world’s fastest-growing team sport: lacrosse. for the first time in over a century, the stick sport will be back in the olympics in 2028. but while professional leagues are launching and an espn deal was inked in june 2025, the sport still struggl ..AMAZON JUST LAUNCHED ITS ZOOX ROBOTAXIS IN LAS VEGAS AND WE TOOK A RIDE
Five years after its $1.3 billion acquisition of zoox, amazon has officially entered the u.s. robotaxi race, which to date has been dominated by alphabet’s waymo. zoox’s first public launch kicks off today on the las vegas strip. the company is offering free rides from a few select locations, wi ..HOW CASEY’S BECAME ONE OF AMERICA’S BIGGEST PIZZA CHAINS
Casey’s general stores is the third-largest convenience store chain by size and the fifth-largest pizza chain in the u.s. aside from its focus on food service, the company has carved out a niche by going after small towns with populations of 20,000 people or less. its share price has grown nearly ..WHAT HAPPENS IF FEMA GOES AWAY?
The trump administration is quickly reshaping the federal emergency management agency, or fema, in ways that carry vast implications for state and local governments.WHO'S DOMINATING ATHLEISURE RIGHT NOW AND WHY IT ISN'T GIANTS LIKE NIKE AND ..
Cnbc marathon covers the changing athleisure market and how up-and-coming brands like on running and vuori are taking on industry names like nike and lululemon. nike is the world’s largest sportswear brand but the company is on a mission to regain its stride after a challenging year. a series of ..WHY SAMSUNG, GOOGLE AND POSSIBLY APPLE ARE INVESTING IN FOLDING SMARTPHONES
Apple is reportedly planning to release its first foldable iphone in 2026, entering a market long dominated by samsung and huawei. foldable phones have been on the rise in asia, especially china and south korea, but still account for less than 2% of global smartphone shipments. advances in durabilit ..WHY MILLION DOLLAR HOMES GOT A TAX BREAK
This summer congress sweetened a key tax break for homeowners in high-cost of living areas with surging property tax bills. the $40,000 cap on state and local tax deductions is expected to benefit wealthy homeowners who itemize deductions when filing. local policymakers say the change provides much ..