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.
An independent watchdog within the IRS reports that while taxpayer services have vastly improved, the agency is still too slow to resolve identity theft cases. And National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins says those delays are “unconscionable.” Erin M. Collins said in the report released Wednesday that overall the 2024 filing season went smoothly, though IRS delays in resolving identity theft victim assistance cases are worsening. It took nearly 19 months to resolve self-reported identity theft cases as of January, and Wednesday's report states that now it takes 22 months to resolve these cases.
Amazon.com Inc. surpassed $2 trillion in market value for the first time in afternoon trading on Wednesday. The push higher for Amazon’s stock market valuation comes a little more than a week after Nvidia hit $3 trillion and briefly became the most valuable company on Wall Street. Nvidia’s chips are used to power many AI application and its valuation has soared as a result. Amazon has also been making big investments in AI as global interest has grown in the technology. Most of the company’s focus has been on business-focused products.
Climate change doesn’t just mean more extreme weather – it also leads to billions of dollars in lost productivity, tourism, and stresses infrastructure.
It’s an annual tradition: the Fed’s banking ‘stress test.’ A year after the regional banking crisis, there are good reasons to make sure they’re prepped.
Summer is upon us, which means weddings, trips overseas, and trips to see Taylor Swift. Avoid a “Cruel Summer” with these budget-friendly tips and tricks.
