The Commerce Department has revised down its growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2022 to 2.7 percent. Its previous estimate was 2.9 percent, which was still down from the 3.2 percent growth rate from July through September, suggesting that economic growth is slowing but remains steady.
FED MINUTES UPDATE
The minutes from the latest Federal Reserve FOMC meeting shows officials acknowledging that inflation is coming down but not enough to reverse course on more interest rate hikes.
SHRINKING MORTGAGE FEES
The Biden administration is lowering insurance premiums for borrowers who take out loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration. The move will save an estimated 850,000 homeowners an average of $800 on home financing costs. The annual premium will drop from 0.85 percent to 0.55 percent.
BILL GATES BUYS HEINEKEN STAKE
Bill Gates has purchased a $902 million stake in Heineken, according to the Netherlands Financial Markets Authority. He bought the shares, which represent 3.8 percent share of the company's value, from Mexico's FEMSA. Gates bought 6.65 million shares in an individual capacity, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust bought 4.18 million shares.
TESLA STAYING IN CALIFORNIA
Elon Musk says Tesla is staying in California for the foreseeable future. The electric vehicle maker will make the Golden State its global engineering home, while its corporate headquarters will remain in Texas. Tesla's plant in Fremont, California, will increase production this year to more than 600,000 vehicles.
MERCEDES BENZ-GOOGLE PARTNERSHIP
Mercedes-Benz and Google have announced a long-term partnership to bring supercomputers into automobiles. The automaker will use Google technology to develop a branded navigation experience based on in-car data and Google's Maps platform. The deal essentially gives Mercedes-Benz access to the latest Google geospatial technology.
James Gallagher, CEO and Co-Founder of GreenLite, discusses the challenges of rebuilding the fire-affected LA area and how permitting complicates the process.
Super Bowl Champion, Julian Edelman, talks Chiefs' conspiracies, his fave TSwift song and his bet for Super Bowl LIX. Plus, the best time for a bathroom break.
Ron Hammond, Sr. Director of Government Relations at the Blockchain Association, breaks down Trump’s plan to strengthen U.S. leadership in financial technology.
BiggerPockets Money podcast is now available on Cheddar Wednesdays at 10am ET! Mindy Jensen shares how her podcast is helping people gain financial freedom.
The social video platform's future remains in doubt, as players scramble to profit from the chaos. Plus: Big oil gets bigger, DOGE downsizes, and tariffs!
Ty Young, CEO of Ty J. Young Wealth Management, joins Cheddar to discuss Trump's moves as he returns to Washington D.C. and how it may affect the U.S. economy.
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
