This Changes Things hosts Baker Machado and Hope King break down the biggest stories in business, technology, and retail. Macy's reported stronger than expected earnings, capitalizing on its real estate assets. Plus, why Amazon's Alexa may be in the doghouse for some brands.
Macy's earnings beat analysts' expectations signaling its turnaround may be gaining traction. Same-store sales were up 3% in January and the company sees that momentum continuing through 2018.
Plus, big consumer brands are not very happy with Amazon's Alexa. The growing popularity of voice search assistants is posing a threat to the biggest makers of household items...already dealing with the rise of e-commerce. Unlike in stores and on online, where brands get plenty of exposure, voice search assistants often direct shoppers to a single product...usually selected by an algorithm without any input from the sellers.
The Food and Drug Administration is asking Congress for new powers, including the ability to mandate drug recalls and require eyedrop makers to undergo inspections before shipping products to the U.S.
The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday for a third straight time, and its officials signaled that they expect to make three quarter-point cuts to their benchmark rate next year.
Eliott Wellenbach, vice president and institutional ETF strategist with Direxion, joined Cheddar News to discuss what traders are expecting from consumer spending ahead of the holidays and how they're positioning themselves following the latest inflation data and mortgage rates.
