401K balances jumped in the fourth quarter of 2022, but were down 23 percent for the entire year, due to the ongoing bear market. New data from Fidelity Investments also found that the average individual retirement account balance was down 20 percent to $104,000 in the fourth quarter. Amid this economic uncertainty, the savings rate remained steady at 13.7 percent, down slightly from the 13.8 percent in the third quarter and 13.9 percent in the second quarter.
GOODBYE TO THE SUPER HORNET
Boeing said it will end production of the F/A-18 Super Hornet in 2025. The shutdown will affect a production line near St. Louis, which could power back on if the company wins a contract in India. The Super Hornet is considered the most successful aircraft in the history of the U.S. Navy. The company will redeploy staff to pursue new opportunities, including the T-7 Red Hawk.
DOMINO'S SALES SLUMP
Domino's Pizza missed sales estimates in the fourth quarter, as high delivery fees put a dent in online orders. Same-store delivery sales dropped 6.6 percent after the company raised delivery fees to make up for higher labor and commodity costs. With deliveries making up 60 percent of sales, the drop hit the company hard. Its share price fell 11 percent on Thursday.
NETFLIX LOWERS PRICES
Netflix is lowering its subscription price across the globe. The streaming giant has lowered prices in more than 100 territories, including large parts of the Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe. The discount varies by area, but some saw 20 to 60 percent decreases for the basic tier membership, according to data from Ampere Analysis shared with TechCrunch.
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.
