Cracker Barrel’s top executive on Tuesday said the folksy restaurant chain’s disastrous logo change wasn’t about politics — instead claiming the switch was made for the sake of highway visibility, according to a report.Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino was forced to defend the headline-grabbing bungle at the 13D Monitor Active-Passive Investor Summit in New York on Tuesday as the company faces stepped-up heat from an activist investor.The embattled restaurant boss — who has faced accusations of having a ...

Core Points - Warner Bros. Discovery is increasing prices for all Max subscription tiers in the US, marking the second increase in less than 18 months as streaming services aim to counteract rising content costs and slower subscriber growth [1][4] - The ad-supported Basic plan will rise by $1 to $10.99 per month, the Standard plan will increase by $1.50 to $18.49, and the Premium tier will jump by $2 to $22.99 [1][4] - New rates are effective immediately for new subscribers, while existing customers will see changes starting November 20 [2][4] Industry Context - HBO Max last raised prices in June 2024, coinciding with similar price increases from major competitors like Disney+, Apple TV+, and Netflix [4][6] - The price hike is occurring as Warner Bros. Discovery considers a potential sale following unsolicited interest from other media companies, indicating ongoing shifts in the legacy media landscape [6] - CEO David Zaslav stated that HBO Max is "under priced," emphasizing the quality of its content as a justification for the price increase [4]

Core Insights - Gold prices experienced a significant decline of almost 5%, marking the steepest one-day drop in years, attributed to a surging US dollar and heavy profit-taking after reaching record highs above $4,300 per ounce [1][2][6] Price Movement - As of noon Tuesday, gold futures were trading at $4,143.90 per troy ounce, down $215.50, or 4.94%, from the previous close of $4,359.40, which was a new all-time high [1][2] - The selloff represents gold's sharpest single-session decline since April 2013 and follows a months-long rally driven by safe-haven buying and expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts [2][6] Market Dynamics - The US Dollar Index strengthened nearly 0.7%, its largest rise this month, contributing to the decline in gold prices as a stronger dollar makes gold more expensive for foreign buyers [3][6] - Inflows into gold and silver over the past 10 weeks reached $34.2 billion, the highest in history, indicating a strong demand for these precious metals [3] Demand Trends - Despite the price drop, demand for gold remains steady, particularly from China, India, and Turkey, as these countries continued their gold purchases through October [10] - Asian demand is expected to remain robust through year-end, especially in India ahead of Diwali and in China, where retail buying has surged due to a weakening yuan [18] Impact on Mining Stocks - The sharp decline in gold prices also affected mining stocks, with Newmont Corp. and the VanEck Gold Miners ETF both down more than 9% on Tuesday [10]

Warner Bros. Discovery on Tuesday said it is open to a sale after receiving “unsolicited interest” from multiple parties — sending the media giant’s stock up more than 8% in early trading.The surprise announcement came as CEO David Zaslav expanded the company’s ongoing strategic review, confirming that the embattled entertainment giant will consider offers for all or part of the business.Zaslav said Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO, CNN and the Warner Bros. studio, has been preparing to split into two ...

Core Insights - Subscription cancellations for Disney+ and Hulu increased significantly in September, coinciding with the temporary cancellation of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" due to controversy surrounding comments made by the host [1][3] - The total cancellations in September were reported at 4.1 million for Hulu and 3 million for Disney+ [3] - The churn rate for Hulu rose from 5% in August to 10% in September, while Disney+ saw an increase from 4% to 8% in the same period [3] Subscription Trends - Despite the rise in cancellations, signups for both Hulu and Disney+ were higher in September compared to the previous five months [4] - Disney reported a total of 183 million subscriptions for Disney+ and Hulu in its latest earnings report for the quarter ending June 28 [4] - Antenna, the subscription analytics company, tracks US consumer data and excludes subscribers from bundle deals [4]

Core Insights - Apple's new iPhone 17 series has achieved higher sales than the previous iPhone 16 series in its first week in the US and China, with a 14% increase in sales over the first 10 days [1][5] - The company's shares rose over 4% to an all-time high, positioning Apple to potentially reach a $4 trillion valuation [1][2] - The iPhone 17 series, particularly the base model, is experiencing strong demand due to improved specifications and features [3][7] Sales Performance - The iPhone 17 series has outsold the iPhone 16 series by 14% in its initial sales period [1] - In China, sales of the base iPhone 17 are nearly double those of the base iPhone 16 during the same timeframe [3] - The iPhone 17 Pro is also seeing increased demand compared to its predecessor [7] Product Features - The iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models feature new cameras with four times the resolution of the iPhone 16 and a significantly larger front camera sensor [3][4] - Both models are powered by the new A19 chip, which offers computing power comparable to a MacBook Pro [4] - The iPhone 17 Pro includes enhancements such as a new design, improved zoom camera, larger battery, and better heat dissipation [4] Market Position - Apple's market capitalization reached approximately $3.9 trillion, making it the second largest company globally, following Nvidia [2] - The iPhone continues to be a critical revenue driver for Apple, accounting for roughly half of its total revenue [8][10] New Product Launch - Apple introduced the iPhone Air, which is the first major redesign since 2017, featuring a thickness of just 5.6 millimeters and a "space grade" titanium frame [8] - The iPhone Air is priced at $999, positioning it between the other new models [8] - The iPhone Air sold out quickly upon its launch in China, indicating strong consumer interest [10]

Core Viewpoint - Roblox is under investigation in Florida for allegedly failing to protect children from sexual predators, with the state's attorney general accusing the platform of being a "breeding ground" for such activities [1][2][4]. Group 1: Allegations and Investigations - Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier claims that Roblox has not adequately safeguarded children from sexual predators and lacks sufficient age verification measures [1][3]. - The civil probe initiated in April revealed that the platform has been ineffective in protecting minors from exploitation [3][5]. - Over 20 lawsuits have been filed against Roblox this year, accusing the platform of enabling sexual exploitation [9]. Group 2: User Demographics and Safety Concerns - Approximately 40 million players, more than one-third of Roblox's user base, are under the age of 13 [4]. - The platform, while aimed at children, also allows adult users to interact with minors, raising significant safety concerns [5][8]. - Safety experts have noted that Roblox's age verification measures, such as a recently launched face-scanning feature, can be easily bypassed [6]. Group 3: Legal Actions and Consequences - Louisiana's Attorney General Liz Murrill has also sued Roblox, labeling it as "the perfect place for pedophiles" [8][11]. - A wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the mother of a 15-year-old boy, alleging that Roblox's lack of protective measures led to her son's exploitation and subsequent suicide [8]. - Uthmeier reported that over 1,000 child predators have been arrested in Florida this year, with many cases linked back to Roblox [10].

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday it has opened a preliminary probe into about 2,000 Waymo self-driving vehicles after reports that the company’s robotaxis may have failed to follow traffic safety laws around stopped school buses.The probe is the latest federal review of self-driving systems as regulators scrutinize how driverless technologies interact with pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.NHTSA said the Office of Defects Investigation opened the review after flagging ...

Gucci owner Kering has agreed to sell its beauty business to L’Oreal for $4.66 billion, the company said on Sunday, as new CEO Luca de Meo moves to tackle the luxury group’s high debt and refocus on its core fashion business.Under the deal, French beauty giant L’Oreal will acquire Kering’s fragrance line Creed, as well as rights to develop products under Kering’s fashion labels Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga under a 50-year exclusive license.L’Oreal is acquiring Kering’s fragrance line Creed, and rights to d ...

Core Viewpoint - AppLovin, a rapidly growing tech company valued over $200 billion, is under scrutiny from regulators regarding its consumer data practices, including potential investigations by multiple state attorneys general and a reported SEC probe over data privacy issues [1][2][6]. Regulatory Investigations - The SEC is investigating whether AppLovin misled investors about its data collection and ad-targeting methods, following allegations from short-sellers that the company used digital "fingerprints" to improperly track users for targeted advertising [2][6]. - AppLovin is reportedly being investigated by federal and state regulators concerning its consumer data usage, with Delaware leading the probe [5][6]. - State regulators have reached out to short sellers as part of a preliminary investigation into AppLovin, indicating the seriousness of the allegations [5][6]. Allegations and Company Response - Allegations include claims that AppLovin illegally tracked children and served inappropriate ads, with a short-seller report suggesting the company assigned unique digital identifiers to underage accounts labeled "do not track" [8][14]. - AppLovin has denied these allegations, asserting that users must explicitly consent to download applications from its ads and that the product "Array" was merely a test [5][9]. - The company maintains that it operates within industry-standard policies regarding ad content and data privacy [9][12]. Business Performance - Despite the ongoing investigations and allegations, AppLovin's stock has surged 80% this year, and the company has been added to the S&P 500, indicating strong market interest in its AI-powered advertising software [12][13]. - Founded in 2012, AppLovin has shifted its focus from mobile gaming to app monetization software, positioning itself as a competitor to major players like Meta and Google [12][13]. Legislative Context - The investigations occur amid heightened legislative efforts to protect children online, including a reintroduction of an updated version of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) aimed at barring targeted ads for individuals under 17 [24][25]. - Legal challenges are also emerging against AppLovin, including a lawsuit from a California resident alleging unauthorized tracking of her data despite disabling location services [25][26].