From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Global stocks have outperformed the U.S. by about nine percentage points so far this year, a shift that matters for investors monitoring concentration risk. The so-called Ex-America trade features the S&P 500 down roughly 0.5% while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI ACWI ex U.S.…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Zillow and Blizzard Entertainment introduced a microsite that catalogs in-game homes, reflecting World of Warcraft’s move toward player housing. The experience showcases World of Warcraft player housing through 3D tours on “Zillow for Warcraft,” presenting virtual dwellings as listings within the game world. Blizzard…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in a landmark social media trial puts Meta’s engagement practices under courtroom scrutiny with implications for Silicon Valley. Mark Zuckerberg testimony anchors a social media trial in Los Angeles, where 12 jurors hear claims about platform design and youth well-being. At…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani proposed a 10% property tax increase as a fallback to address the city’s budget deficit after stalled efforts to raise taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals. The New York City property tax proposal would raise about $3.7 billion…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Executives and advisors describe how unexpressed needs in relationships and workplaces emerge from culture, underscoring implications for performance and retention. The discussion focuses on workplace culture and employee engagement, highlighting that communication training alone fails when requests are ignored or penalized. Leaders are cited…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. companies announced 108,435 job cuts in January 2026, the highest monthly total since 2009, signaling mounting business pressure. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported a 205% jump in layoffs from December, underscoring U.S. layoffs January 2026 trends and job cuts data tracked by the…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 On Tuesday, Warner Bros. Discovery said it will restart talks with Paramount Skydance. Its board urged shareholders to approve Netflix’s acquisition of its studio and streaming businesses, citing “superior value and certainty.” The company obtained a seven-day waiver from Netflix to pursue a “best…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 New labor indicators depict weakening white-collar hiring alongside slowing wage growth, underscoring strain beneath headline jobs data. The latest BLS jobs report showed 130,000 additions, concentrated in 82,000 health care and 42,000 related care roles. White-collar job openings in professional and business services have…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. firms are accelerating automation, with Amazon targeting 75% automated operations and Hyundai adding 1,000 robots, a shift with significant labor and competitiveness implications. Analysts warn that excessive automation, including ambitious Amazon automation targets, can erode competitiveness as advantages are quickly matched. A Binghamton…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 The U.S. dollar slipped slightly early Monday after a Bloomberg report said Chinese officials verbally warned domestic banks to limit dollar holdings, a move aimed at curbing currency risk. The guidance targets bank-level USD exposure, not China’s official U.S. dollar assets, according to the…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 A report explains that many routine meetings persist because unclear instructions and ambiguous writing stall progress, a dynamic that affects productivity across teams. Despite widespread asynchronous work tools such as Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and AI summaries, meeting overload continues when priorities,…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Former President Donald Trump said Federal Reserve nominee Kevin Warsh could help drive U.S. growth to 15% in a Fox Business interview airing Tuesday, highlighting pressure on future interest-rate decisions. Trump praised Kevin Warsh as “a really high-quality person” and suggested the Federal Reserve…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 CVS reported fourth-quarter revenue of $105.7 billion and record full-year 2025 sales above $400 billion, reflecting progress on a stated turnaround. CVS stock is up about 40% over the past 12 months, as results show momentum across insurance, pharmacy services, and retail pharmacy. Aetna…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 LEGO and Crocs unveiled oversized collaborative clogs set to go on sale Feb. 16, marking a high-profile footwear crossover. The LEGO Crocs are priced around $150, while the LEGO x Crocs design emphasizes spectacle over subtlety with bright styling and a bulky profile. Each…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Novo Nordisk sued Hims & Hers over alleged marketing of unapproved weight-loss drug copies, a case with regulatory and patient-safety implications. The complaint says Hims & Hers promoted knockoff versions of Wegovy and Ozempic that bypass FDA review, and Novo seeks a permanent block…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Several U.S. states moved to restrict cultivated meat despite its limited availability, setting up legal and policy fights over market access. Florida began the ban trend in May 2024, followed by Alabama and Mississippi, while Texas enacted a two-year moratorium in 2025 and Indiana,…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Sam Bankman-Fried asked a court for a new trial, saying testimony from a new witness could alter the case, a move with significant legal implications. The filing asserts that FTX executive Nishad Singh changed his account after alleged government threats and that executives Daniel…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Amazon announced Wednesday that Amazon Pharmacy will expand same-day prescription delivery to nearly 4,500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026, addressing access challenges from closures, staffing shortages, and transportation barriers. The plan adds almost 2,000 communities over the year, extending Amazon…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 On Wednesday, Kraft Heinz said it will pause work on its previously announced separation plan to concentrate on restoring profitable growth. CEO Steve Cahillane said challenges are “fixable,” outlining a focus on modernizing iconic brands and avoiding near-term dis-synergies in the Kraft Heinz separation…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testified before the Senate Banking Committee on Feb. 5, 2026, amid renewed scrutiny of political pressure on the Federal Reserve. Lawmakers reviewed President Donald Trump’s criticism of Jerome Powell, interest-rate cuts, and implications for Federal Reserve independence. Trump’s nomination…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google plan about $650 billion in 2026 capital expenditures, highlighting AI’s growing macroeconomic footprint. The companies cite surging demand for AI capital expenditures tied to new data centers and the infrastructure behind them. Spending targets emphasize AI chips, networking systems,…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. retail and dining face deeper cuts in early 2026 as major brands outline closures and restructuring, with implications for jobs and local markets. Eddie Bauer bankruptcy is reportedly being prepared, a step that could close most of its roughly 200 North American stores…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 The Trump administration will introduce a final Office of Personnel Management rule creating a new employee category, affecting job protections for up to 50,000 federal workers. OPM says it applies to senior policymaking roles carrying out Trump policies in the federal civil service. Those…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Pinterest fired two engineers on Jan. 30 after they used the company’s Slack to build an internal layoff-tracking tool, amid broader white-collar job cuts. The tool related to a 15% reduction—about 700 jobs—announced last month as Pinterest reallocated “resources to AI-focused roles.” Employees had…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Bitcoin and silver dropped early Thursday, while U.S. equity futures indicated a lower open. The Bitcoin price briefly fell below $70,000 before rebounding, then neared $69,000 by 7:30 a.m. ET. Silver prices fell as much as 16% before a short bounce, and were down…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 The U.S. dollar has fallen over 10% since Donald Trump returned to the White House, a market shift with broad trade and investment implications. Trump praised the weak dollar as “great,” while the U.S. dollar’s slide has coincided with tariff threats, pressure on the…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Amazon reported a demand-driven Q4 with solid results and unveiled a $200 billion capital expenditure plan through 2026, a move with significant financial implications. Coverage centers on Amazon Q4 earnings, AWS beating forecasts, and the scale of its AI capex plan. It addresses AI…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Bitcoin fell below $64,000 for the first time since 2024 amid a wider sell-off in crypto and tech, underscoring renewed pressure on risk assets. The Bitcoin price drop of nearly 13% coincided with forced liquidations topping $1 billion in Bitcoin positions, Reuters reports. The…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. employers announced 108,435 layoffs in January, the highest January total since 2009, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The Challenger, Gray & Christmas report shows January job cuts rose 118% from January 2025 and more than doubled December, while new hires were just…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 President Donald Trump named Kevin Warsh as his pick to lead the Federal Reserve, a move markets view as limited in near‑term policy impact. Barclays and Morgan Stanley expect two interest rate cuts this year, maintaining their base cases after the announcement. Barclays’ Marc…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Major tech companies reported quarterly results as investors prioritized measurable AI returns, margins, and guidance. Big Tech earnings highlighted a shift from AI hype to profit accountability. Apple posted $143.8 billion in revenue and stronger iPhone and Greater China sales, while Microsoft Azure and…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. credit card rates reached record highs, raising borrowing costs and access concerns. Current credit card rates average 20.97% overall with 22.30% APRs on balances, as APRs track the prime rate that peaked at 8.5% in 2023 and stands at 6.75%, according to Jason…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. housing data and policy headlines highlighted renewed uncertainty as pending home sales fell and mortgage rates whipsawed. Pending home sales dropped 9.3% in December, the steepest monthly decline since April 2020 and the worst December in over 20 years. Mortgage rates briefly touched…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Donald Trump named Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve, focusing attention on possible shifts in policy, oversight, and communication. Warsh has called for "regime change" at the Federal Reserve, pressing changes to inflation policy, monetary strategy, and bank regulation. He is expected to…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 The Walt Disney Company reported quarterly revenue above $26 billion; shares fell 7% against a rising market, and the CEO search was described as in late stages. The Disney earnings update featured Bob Iger’s shareholder letter emphasizing records across film, television, and sports. Investors…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Economists evaluate a proposal to create $1,000 “Trump accounts” for newborns, citing implications for wealth inequality. The plan would invest the accounts in index funds for use at age 18, and allow wealthier families to add up to $5,000 annually. Critics argue the One…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Analysts and labor experts outline how a potential living trillionaire could reshape commerce, finance, culture, and workforce dynamics. The video details projections that Elon Musk could become the first trillionaire by 2027 if a SpaceX IPO hits $1.5 trillion or Tesla pay targets are…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 Nearly a month after Nicolás Maduro’s removal, major U.S. oil companies remain cautious about Venezuela, citing persistent pressure and security risks that complicate near-term investment. New hydrocarbon reforms in Venezuela’s oil sector and ongoing U.S. sanctions frame a market where ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips seek…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 U.S. credit card rates reached record highs, raising borrowing costs and access concerns. Current credit card rates average 20.97% overall with 22.30% APRs on balances, as APRs track the prime rate that peaked at 8.5% in 2023 and stands at 6.75%, according to Jason…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 President Donald Trump nominated Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh to be the next Fed chair, a move watched for its implications for U.S. monetary policy. If confirmed, Warsh would replace Jerome Powell in May and join a Federal Open Market Committee split over how…

From Quartz. 🎥 Video Details 🎥 🌟 About This Video 🌟 President Donald Trump nominated former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh on Friday to be the next Fed chair, a move with implications for monetary policy. The Kevin Warsh nomination to Federal Reserve chair would replace Jerome Powell when his term ends in May. Warsh…

From Quartz. AI companies face intensifying legal and policy scrutiny over opaque training data, affecting how copyrighted works are used and compensated. Key developments include AI copyright lawsuits targeting Anthropic, Google, Stability AI, and AI music firms, alongside calls for training data transparency. In 2025, Disney and Universal Pictures sued Midjourney over character copying; Judge…

From Quartz. Linda Ta Yonemoto will begin a no-buy year on Feb. 17 to save $5,000, illustrating a 2026 savings trend with growing relevance. The no-buy challenge and no-buy year are resonating with millennials and Gen Z, with 70,000+ Reddit participants and viral activity on TikTok and YouTube. Expert Trae Bodge advises starting small, tailoring…

From Quartz. A Bel Air megamansion billed as the most expensive home for sale in the U.S. reduced its asking price by $40 million, bringing the figure to just under $100 million. The Bel Air mansion La Fin, listed since 2022, sits on more than two acres with panoramic city views and remains a reference…

From Quartz. Donald Trump proposed importing Japan’s kei cars to address rising U.S. vehicle costs, underscoring a gap between consumer demand and domestic offerings. The suggestion cites average new-car prices near $50,000 as buyers pivot, making kei cars and U.S. car prices a policy flashpoint. It also intersects with fuel economy standards that linked efficiency…

From Quartz. Deluxe Holiday Homes surveyed more than 1,000 hotel workers to identify items most frequently taken by guests, highlighting routine property losses. This report outlines the most stolen hotel items across rooms and amenities. It compiles a hotel theft survey of commonly removed goods and their prevalence. Towels rank first, with nearly 90% of…

From Quartz. OpenAI is pursuing a new multibillion-dollar raise in the Middle East, a development with implications for private-market records and valuation benchmarks. CEO Sam Altman recently visited the United Arab Emirates to meet sovereign wealth funds as the OpenAI funding round targets $50 billion or more, Bloomberg reports. The raise could value the company…

From Quartz. The White House is advancing a proposal to let Americans tap retirement savings for first-home down payments as part of an affordability agenda. NEC Director Kevin Hassett said 401(k) withdrawals for home purchases would be included in a plan — Subscribe to the Quartz Daily Brief newsletter, the most interesting news from the…

From Quartz. The Trump administration is signaling interest in government ownership stakes, a move with implications for energy policy and corporate governance. Officials are considering U.S. stakes in Venezuela’s oil sector and PDVSA, tying the push for government ownership stakes to post-Maduro scenarios. Energy Secretary Chris Wright outlined the approach, while Sen. Thom Tillis and…

From Quartz. The Trump administration and Northeast governors advanced a plan to fund new power plants via an emergency electricity auction amid rising demand on PJM’s grid. PJM Interconnection would run the auction, allowing data centers to bid on 15-year contracts, with Big Tech funding tied to new generation rather than household rates. A statement…

From Quartz. Americans are averaging $6,000 per person annually on wellness in 2025, according to the Global Wellness Institute, underscoring rising consumer costs tied to New Year fitness goals. The segment outlines how to approach gym memberships and wellness spending cautiously, citing contract terms, hidden fees, and cancellation provisions. Guidance includes reviewing employer wellness benefits…

From Quartz. Security and privacy experts warn that oversharing with AI chatbots exposes personal, medical, and corporate data, raising fraud and safety risks. The video details AI chatbot security risks and the consequences of sharing sensitive data with AI in health, finance, family safety, and workplace scenarios. C-suite leaders remain cautious; an AvePoint survey reports…

From Quartz. A Public Citizen report says federal agencies canceled or froze enforcement actions against 166 corporations in the first year of Donald Trump’s second term, a scope the group calls “dramatic”. The report cites Ripple’s $4.9 million inaugural donation, after which the SEC dropped its appeal and settled for $125 million. It also notes…

From Quartz. The Los Angeles-area exterior home used as the Banks family residence on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was listed for $29.5 million, its first sale since 1978. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air house for sale is not in Bel-Air but in Brentwood Park, about a 15-minute drive away. The listing ties the property…

From Quartz. Kevin Hassett is losing frontrunner status in the race to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, reshaping the selection field. The Justice Department’s criminal probe into Powell drew backlash across Congress and Wall Street, and Trump on Friday said he wants Hassett to remain in his current economic role. Finalists now include Kevin…

From Quartz. PETA urged retiring Punxsutawney Phil in favor of a hologram, citing animal welfare, a proposal that challenges a longstanding Groundhog Day tradition. In a letter to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president Tom Dunkel, PETA offered a state-of-the-art 3D projection of Punxsutawney Phil if the animal is moved to a sanctuary. The group says a…

From Quartz. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski issued his 2026 Instagram forecast, citing shifts in consumer tastes with implications for menus. The outlook highlights food trends 2026 for McDonald’s: a fiber trend, sweet-and-spicy pairings, and continued focus on sauces. It also flags broader fast food beverages and references PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta, who said in October…

From Quartz. Netflix added 26 of the 27 James Bond films to its catalog, bringing an almost complete franchise lineup to a single streaming service. The Netflix James Bond films arrive under an unusual arrangement, as Amazon, which bought the franchise from MGM in 2021 for $8.5 billion, is developing the next film. The Amazon–Netflix…

From Quartz. A growing share of the U.S. workforce is favoring instant, Uber-like pay over biweekly checks, a shift with implications for hiring, retention, and payroll systems. Employers report rising demand for earned wage access and on-demand pay, with workers expecting Netflix-like payroll and 86% indicating preference for same-day pay. Adoption is spreading in retail…

From Quartz. TSMC reported fourth-quarter profit up 35% on continued AI chip demand, highlighting ongoing strength in advanced manufacturing. The TSMC earnings release showed net income of NT$505.74 billion (about $16 billion) and revenue near $33.73 billion, both above expectations. Management forecast 6.3% quarter-over-quarter growth in Q1 and plans up to $56 billion this year…