*By Carlo Versano*
Tilray, the Canadian cannabis company swiftly becoming one of the most talked-about stocks of the year, was up as much as 50 percent on Wednesday morning, leading a continued bull run in pot stocks and putting its market cap above established companies like Macy's and Viacom.
Tilray President and CEO Brendan Kennedy [said](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/18/tilray-ceo-investing-in-pot-great-hedge-for-alcohol-drug-companies.html) on Tuesday that pharmaceutical and alcohol companies need to consider partnering with cannabis suppliers as a hedge against their core businesses. Those comments, along with the halo effect of Tilray saying it earned approval to provide medical marijuana for a U.S. clinical study, helped send shares over $200 apiece ー they debuted on the Nasdaq at $17 just two months ago.
Citron Research, whose bearish bets on stocks can be market-moving, [tweeted](https://twitter.com/CitronResearch/status/1042395769372909568) on Wednesday morning that Tilray's run is "beyond comprehension" and that it will continue to be short the stock "until rationality sets in." That followed another less-than-favoratble [piece](https://www.barrons.com/articles/marijuana-stocks-coca-cola-aurora-1537235413) from Barron's that said, "even the bulls see a bubble."
But with the legal sales of cannabis in Canada now less than a month away ー and investors jockeying for position ー the sector could continue on its high, at least in the short-term. Shares of both Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis have also seen double-digit percent increases since they've received interest from Constellation and Coca-Cola, respectively.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
