Zuks is launching its service in Las Vegas and for Amazon that represents their entry into the robo taxi race. These are unlike any other cars that you've been in in the past. There's no steering wheel, no pedals, and they are completely symmetrical.We just rode in one of these vehicles from Resorts World Las Vegas to Topgolf with Zuk's co-founder and CTO Jesse Levenson. All right, first time in a Zuks. This is the first time now that we're opening up the app to the public and letting you go to a bunch of d ...

Labor Market Trends - The US economy has lost 1.2 million jobs since April 2024 [1] - The quits rate is down to about 2% after fluctuating since the pandemic [1] - Employers are hiring at the slowest pace since 2013, excluding the pandemic dip and rise [1] - Almost 1 in 5 job seekers surveyed said they're not confident that they will find a great job that they like [5] - A natural attrition of 20% in a company is mentioned [8] Employee Engagement & Productivity - Four out of five employees surveyed said they're not thriving at work [3] - 58% of US professionals surveyed believe they have a wide range of skills that are being underutilized in their current roles [3] - Employee disengagement adds up to about $5 million a year in lost productivity for a typical 1000 person company [12] - The average disengaged worker could cost the company $4,000 over the course of a year, while an executive could cost $20,000 [12][13] - Globally, low employee engagement is estimated to cost $9.6 trillion annually, or around 9% of global GDP [16] Wage & Bargaining Power - Wage growth has cooled, and job switching premiums have shrunk [6] - The minimum wage has been sitting at the same level since 2009 [19] - Workers have lost a bit of their bargaining power in the current environment [20]

I just visited Chinese coffee giant Luckin here in New York. This latte cost me $1.99%. In China, Lucken is bigger than Starbucks by both revenue and store count, and it's touchdown here in the US.Lucken's full price drinks are actually not that different from Starbucks. The difference is you're probably not going to be paying full price at Lucken. You can only order on its app and it showers you with coupons, especially when you first sign up.Luck's business model is low margin, high volume. That means it ...

Market Trends & Consumer Behavior - The share of new cars costing more than $50,000 has almost doubled compared to six years ago, indicating a shift towards higher-priced vehicles [1] - The share of buyers with incomes over $150,000 made up 12% of all car purchases in 2025, significantly larger than other income groups [8] - There are more vehicles for sale above $100,000 than below $30,000 in the US market [9] - Consumer sentiment among high-income adults has shown recent decreases, potentially signaling a shift in the high-end market [27] Financial & Economic Factors - Dealer profits increased by 20% in Q2 2025, but economists are concerned about the reliance on a smaller share of consumers [2] - The average monthly loan payment was $749 in Q2 2025, almost $200 more than in 2019 [4] - Approximately 15% of monthly car payments, including leases and loans, exceed $1,000 [5] - Tariffs are adding up to $5,700 to the price of each imported vehicle, disproportionately impacting lower entry-level models [11] - Auto loan delinquencies have increased year over year since 2021 [23] Industry Dynamics & Challenges - Automakers prioritized higher-priced vehicles during the chip crisis to maximize profits [10] - Rising interest rates and a credit crunch are pricing many people out of the new vehicle market [17][18] - The regulatory environment and homologation requirements contribute to the high cost of vehicles [6] - Chinese manufacturers may offer a source for less expensive vehicles, despite US tariffs [30][31]

Product Innovation & Technology - The iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone ever at 5.6mm, featuring a flexible front camera and dual recording capabilities [1] - The A19 Pro chip, Apple's most advanced, powers both the Air and 17 Pro, integrating neural accelerators into the GPU cores for on-device AI [2][3] - Apple's new modem, C1X, and wireless chip, N1, signify a move towards controlling the full silicon stack for optimized product solutions [4] AI Strategy & Implementation - Apple is focusing on building the best on-device AI capability, integrating neural processing into GPUs for enhanced performance across applications [8][9][12] - The integration of neural accelerators into each GPU core allows for seamless switching between 3D rendering and neural processing instructions [9] - Apple emphasizes privacy, efficiency, and control as key benefits of on-device AI processing [15] Supply Chain & Manufacturing - Apple is increasing its commitment to manufacture in the US, with TSMC ramping up three-nanometer production in Arizona [35][36] - Geopolitical risks associated with relying entirely on Taiwan for chip manufacturing are a concern for Apple [33] - Apple anticipates using its own modems in all devices within the next two years, including Mac and iPad [30] Competition & Market Dynamics - Apple's move to in-house wireless and Bluetooth chips impacts Broadcom and Qualcomm, though licensing deals will continue [18][21][28] - Qualcomm remains the gold standard for modems, particularly in high-end Android smartphones [28] - Apple's custom modem, C1X, uses 30% less energy compared to the Qualcomm modem in the iPhone 16 Pro [23][24]

Panama Canal Operations and Challenges - The Panama Canal is a critical shipping route, handling approximately 14,000 vessel transits annually, including about 40% of all US container traffic [1] - Recent droughts have forced the Panama Canal Authority to implement weight restrictions and limit vessel transits to 18 ships per day, while the normal transit volume is about 36 ships daily [1] - The 2023-2024 drought was the worst Panama has experienced in over 70 years [1] - Low water levels in Gatun Lake, which fell 8 feet below average, restrict the amount of cargo ships can carry [3] - Companies like Maersk have resorted to using landbridges to circumvent the canal's restrictions [4] Infrastructure and Investment - The Panama Canal Authority plans to invest $1.6 billion to construct a new reservoir with a capacity of 1.2 billion cubic meters of water to mitigate future droughts [4] Social and Environmental Impact - The proposed Rio Indo project, involving flooding 17 square miles of land, faces resistance due to its potential impact on approximately 2,500 people [5] - The reservoir construction could submerge villages, displacing residents and affecting their livelihoods [5]

Just down the street from Chicago's iconic Wrigley Field is Dimo's Pizza. Known for serving up slices to hungry baseball fans, its menu has classics like pepperoni pies to creative combos like chicken and waffles. What's not on the menu.Luxury beauty products. But here's Dimo's Pizza selling Lancome face cream on Walmart's online marketplace for just $25.99%, a 91% discount from its typical retail price of $280. Just to be clear, you don't have a side hustle selling beauty products on Walmart.com, right. I ...

Market Dominance - SpaceX is synonymous with US space supremacy [1] - SpaceX is irreplaceable as a national asset [1] - SpaceX is completely dominant in the space market because it's the best [1] - In 2024, SpaceX conducted a record-breaking 134 orbital launches [3] - SpaceX's 134 launches accounted for 83% of all spacecraft launched last year [3] - SpaceX's Starlink satellites made up 65% of all operational satellites in space in 2024 [3] Government Reliance - The US government and SpaceX have a mutually beneficial relationship [1] - The government relies on SpaceX to deliver its critical technologies into orbit [2]

Hiring Trends - The United States is experiencing a slowdown in new job creation [1] - Younger individuals face challenges in securing software development and marketing positions, potentially due to AI augmentation or replacement [1] Economic Policy & Impact - Businesses are navigating rapidly evolving federal policies related to taxes, trade, and immigration [1] - The Federal Reserve has reduced short-term lending rates to stimulate economic growth, despite inflation exceeding ideal levels [1]

State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction Overview - Prior to 2017, the state and local tax deduction was unlimited, allowing families to reduce their federal taxable income by the full amount of state and local taxes paid [1] - In 2017, Congress capped the SALT deduction at $10,000, impacting areas with high real estate values [2] - The new tax and spending bill addresses this issue with an increased deduction for state and local taxes [2] Impact and Criticism - States like Florida and Texas may also benefit from the increased SALT deduction [3] - Critics argue against federal subsidization of high state and local taxes in states like New York [3]