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Aston Martin warns investors that tariff pain won't go away anytime soon
Business Insider· 2025-10-06 10:36
Donald Trump's tariffs continue to pile on the pain for the global auto industry. Aston Martin shares plunged as much as 11% on Monday after the British luxury carmaker slashed its guidance, citing the impact of US tariffs.The company warned investors that it expects sales this year to decline compared to 2025, and said that its adjusted loss for the year would likely be more than £110 million, the lower end of analyst forecasts. The Vanquish-maker said it also faced additional macroeconomic speed bumps, ...
25 Wall Street Rising Stars and Executives to Watch
Business Insider· 2025-10-06 09:50
Core Insights - The article highlights the emergence of young dealmakers and investors who are shaping the future of finance, particularly in areas like private credit and data center deals [1][3][32]. Group 1: Rising Stars in Finance - Business Insider annually recognizes young professionals under 35 who are making significant impacts in investing, trading, and dealmaking [2]. - This year's list includes 25 individuals from prominent firms such as JPMorgan, Apollo, Citadel, and Bridgewater, showcasing their creativity and drive [3]. Group 2: Dealmaking Trends - After a slow start to the year due to various uncertainties, dealmaking is gaining momentum with significant IPOs, carve-outs, and buyouts being driven by bankers and private equity investors [4]. - The article features several notable dealmakers, including Jack Levendoski from JPMorgan, who has been involved in major technology transactions totaling over $300 billion in deal value [5][6]. Group 3: Sector-Specific Insights - The data center industry is highlighted as a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity, with Aman Mittal from Moelis & Company advising on over 15 data center-related transactions worth more than $25 billion [33][35]. - Infrastructure investments have surged, with private infrastructure fund assets increasing from $500 billion in 2016 to $1.5 trillion in 2024, driven by the AI boom and energy transition [32]. Group 4: Private Credit Evolution - The private credit sector is evolving, with Madelaine O'Connell from HPS leading innovative financing solutions for investment-grade companies, indicating a shift towards more customized loan structures [59][60]. - Knut Kirchoff from Blackstone has witnessed the rapid growth of private credit, with the firm's assets increasing from $80 billion to over $400 billion in recent years [64][66]. Group 5: Macro Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of macroeconomic understanding, with professionals like Adam Theriault-Shay at Citadel focusing on in-depth research and on-the-ground insights to inform trading strategies [92][95]. - Catherine Kress at BlackRock is positioned at the intersection of geopolitics and finance, reflecting the growing demand for insights on national security and economic resilience [97][100].
TikTok shut down its LA headquarters after a series of online threats
Business Insider· 2025-10-05 16:52
Core Points - TikTok closed its Los Angeles offices due to online threats reported by employees, with the Culver City Police Department arresting a suspect linked to these threats [1][2] - The threats were associated with TikTok Shop and were posted on social media platforms, leading to the suspension of the user's account for policy violations [2] - TikTok is a significant employer in Culver City, which is a major entertainment hub [3] Summary by Sections Company Response - TikTok's offices in Culver City were evacuated for security reasons after employees reported threats [1] - The police department praised TikTok staff for their prompt action in reporting the threats [2] Threat Details - The threats were specifically targeting TikTok's e-commerce department and were described as "really scary" by employees [2] - The threats were posted on platforms like X and Rumble, leading to the suspension of the offending account [2] Local Impact - TikTok is among the top 10 employers in Culver City, highlighting its importance to the local economy [3] - Culver City is recognized as a major entertainment hub, housing studios like Sony Pictures [3]
Flying taxis take flight in front of a US crowd for the first time as 2 companies race to take on passengers
Business Insider· 2025-10-05 09:00
Core Viewpoint - Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are pioneering electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) aimed at creating a zero-emissions ride-share service in urban areas, with a focus on public acceptance through reduced noise and safety [2][3][4]. Company Overview - Joby Aviation, founded in 2009, plans to begin passenger services by 2026 in Dubai [4]. - Archer Aviation, established seven years ago, has partnered with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics to provide transportation for VIPs and fans [4]. Technology and Features - Joby's eVTOL features six tilting propellers that allow for vertical takeoff, forward flight, and hovering capabilities, demonstrated through a 540-degree spin during a showcase [7][20]. - Archer's "Midnight" eVTOL has 12 propellers, combining six tilt and six fixed propellers for versatile flight capabilities [17]. - Joby's design incorporates shorter blades and an electric propulsion system to minimize noise, allowing the aircraft to blend into urban environments [8][11]. Operational Goals - Both companies aim to significantly reduce travel times in urban settings, with Archer targeting under 10 minutes for commutes between Newark Liberty International Airport and downtown Manhattan [20]. - Joby's eVTOL has demonstrated a range of 150 miles, optimized for short, high-density missions typically ranging from 20 to 30 miles [20].
All 67 songs that Taylor Swift has written by herself
Business Insider· 2025-10-03 20:59
Core Insights - Taylor Swift has established a billion-dollar empire through her music career, starting from a young age and becoming the youngest songwriter to sign a publishing deal with Sony at 15 [1][2] Group 1: Songwriting and Collaborations - Swift emphasizes the importance of her storytelling and songwriting, stating that her success is tied to her writing her own songs [2] - She has collaborated with notable producers and songwriters, including Max Martin and Shellback, but is credited as the lead writer on every song she has released [2] - Swift is credited as the sole songwriter on over 60 tracks in her discography, showcasing her significant contribution to her music [3]
Tesla fans are buzzing about a possible unveiling of a 'more affordable' vehicle
Business Insider· 2025-10-03 16:18
Core Insights - Tesla is expected to unveil a more affordable electric vehicle model, with speculation about a reveal in the fourth quarter of 2025 [1][2][11] - The company has previously indicated that production of new models, including affordable options, will begin in the first half of 2025 [2] - Fans are actively discussing potential sightings and details of the new model, including a possible "Model Y Standard" [3][4] Group 1: Vehicle Development and Speculation - Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering stated that the new vehicle is anticipated to be "available for everyone" by the fourth quarter of 2025 [2] - Online discussions have intensified with sightings of undisguised vehicles and references to a "Model Y Standard" in Tesla's website source code [3][4] - The base Model Y currently costs around $46,000, and there is speculation about a potential price point of $35,000 for the new model, which could significantly impact the automotive market [4][12] Group 2: Influencer Activity and Public Engagement - Tesla influencers visited the company's Austin headquarters, leading to increased speculation about an upcoming vehicle announcement [5][11] - A video showing covered vehicles at the Tesla gigafactory fueled further interest, although the purpose of the influencers' visit remains unclear [6][11] - Tesla's social media engagement has included playful responses to speculation, indicating a level of openness to the rumors surrounding the new vehicle [12][14]
A group of Tesla investors is urging shareholders not to confirm Elon Musk's $1 trillion pay package
Business Insider· 2025-10-03 09:28
Core Viewpoint - A coalition of unions, state treasurers, and institutional investors is urging Tesla shareholders to reject CEO Elon Musk's proposed $1 trillion pay package due to concerns over the board's independence and the vagueness of performance goals [1][2]. Group 1: Investor Concerns - The investor group includes notable entities such as SOC Investment Group and the American Federation of Teachers, who have previously criticized Tesla's board for its lack of independence from Musk [1][2]. - The letter highlights that the performance goals tied to Musk's compensation are not as rigorous as they seem, questioning the clarity and demands of these targets [2]. Group 2: Compensation Package Details - To access the full $1 trillion payout, Musk must increase Tesla's market capitalization to $8.5 trillion within the next decade and achieve several ambitious product milestones, including annual earnings of $400 billion and delivering around 12 million EVs by 2035 [3]. - The letter points out that the average annual delivery target of 1.2 million EVs is significantly lower than Tesla's sales in 2024, raising doubts about the feasibility of these goals [3]. Group 3: Board and Performance Issues - The shareholder group criticizes Tesla's board for not ensuring Musk's commitment to focus on Tesla, given his involvement in multiple companies, and warns that the pay package could result in share dilution for existing shareholders [8]. - Tesla's performance has been volatile, with sales and revenue declining in the first half of the year due to increased competition and backlash against Musk's political activities [8]. Group 4: Tesla's Response - In response to the criticisms, Tesla's board argues that the compensation package is designed to create trillions of dollars in value for shareholders and to promote global prosperity [9]. - The company emphasizes that Musk will not receive any compensation if he fails to deliver results, reinforcing the performance-based nature of the pay package [10].
Amazon internal review found its AI tool Q fell 'significantly' behind rivals on accuracy in its first year
Business Insider· 2025-10-03 09:00
Core Insights - Amazon's AI productivity tool, Q Business, has faced significant challenges in accuracy and performance, falling behind competitors in key features [1][4][12] - The internal document highlights customer complaints regarding the tool's inability to process non-text data and maintain conversational flow [2][11][12] - Despite these issues, Amazon has implemented a formal accuracy program and rolled out updates to improve the tool's performance [14][15] Group 1: Performance Challenges - Q Business struggled with processing tabular and spreadsheet data, leading to customer dissatisfaction from companies like Accenture and Intuit [1][11] - The tool's conversational abilities lagged behind competitors, resulting in incomplete responses and difficulties in maintaining context during interactions [12][19] - Staffing issues within the accuracy team contributed to the challenges faced by Q Business, with multiple product manager changes and inadequate resources reported [13] Group 2: Improvement Efforts - Amazon initiated a formal accuracy program in February to address the challenges faced by Q Business [14] - Updates rolled out included a "hallucination mitigation" feature and a response customization tool, aimed at enhancing the chat experience and query answering capabilities [14][15] - Positive feedback has been received from several customers, including Nasdaq and Jabil, indicating some success in improving the tool's utility [16][17][18] Group 3: Market Position and Future Outlook - Q Business achieved 90% accuracy for text-rich data, but doubts about its future persist among some employees, citing a lack of strong performance in business applications [19] - Amazon's other AI offerings have also struggled in terms of revenue compared to competitors, prompting a reevaluation of sales strategies [20] - An AWS spokesperson defended the company's position, claiming success in various AI applications beyond infrastructure [20][21]
Why Japan is about to run out of its favorite beer
Business Insider· 2025-10-03 04:45
Core Points - Asahi Group Holdings is facing a significant operational disruption due to a cyberattack that has halted production in most of its 30 facilities in Japan since September 29, 2025 [1][2] - The company reported first-half 2025 sales of 1,360 billion yen, approximately $9.24 billion, and its stock price has declined over 6.5% in the past five days and about 7% over the past year [3] - Japanese retailers, including Family Mart and 7-Eleven, have warned of low supply of Asahi products, including Asahi Super Dry beer, due to the suspension of orders and shipments [8][9] Company Operations - The cyberattack has led to the suspension of order and shipment operations in Japan, as well as a pause in call center activities, including customer service [2] - Asahi Group Holdings confirmed that there has been no leakage of customer data, but it has not provided an estimated timeline for recovery from the system failure [2] Market Impact - The disruption in production and supply chain is expected to affect the availability of Asahi's products in retail stores, leading to potential shortages [8][9] - The company's stock performance reflects investor concerns, with a notable decline in share value over the recent period [3]
Did Apple just lose the face computer race to Meta?
Business Insider· 2025-10-02 16:42
Core Insights - Apple Vision Pro, a $3,500 augmented reality headset, has not gained traction since its launch in February 2024, leading to concerns about its market viability [1][2] - Apple has reportedly halted development on a cheaper version of the headset to focus on lightweight AI smart glasses, indicating a shift in strategy [3] - Despite plans for a new version of Vision Pro with improved technology, fundamental issues such as high cost and unclear use cases remain unresolved [4] Group 1: Product Performance - The Vision Pro has not attracted developer interest, creating a cycle of low sales and reduced incentive for developers to create applications [2] - Apple executives privately acknowledge the product's shortcomings, describing it as overengineered and bulky [4] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Meta, traditionally unsuccessful in hardware, may succeed with its new $800 Ray-Ban Display glasses, which could outperform the Vision Pro in sales [5][10] - Other tech giants like Google are also entering the smart glasses market, indicating a competitive environment for face-computing devices [10] Group 3: Market Trends - Despite significant investment from major tech companies, consumer interest in wearable computing remains low, with only a couple of million units sold for Meta's older Ray-Bans [11][12] - Potential enterprise applications for smart glasses exist, but widespread consumer adoption in everyday settings has yet to materialize [13]