Here is a rundown of Cheddar News' top trending market stories of the day.
RECESSION OUTLOOK
After Friday's historic jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy adding half a million new positions despite a slew of recent high-profile tech layoffs, recession blues are waning. Economist Larry Summers, former Treasury secretary under president Bill Clinton, told CNN's Fareed Zakariaha on Sunday that it is now more likely the Federal Reserve will pull off a "soft landing" (i.e. avoid a recession), even as he stressed that the economy is not "out of the woods" yet.
APPLE'S NEW IPHONE
Apple tracker Mark Gurman said the tech giant is currently deciding whether it will release a new, more expensive iPhone called "Ultra" in the near future, which could arrive on shelves as part of the iPhone 16 lineup in 2024. Gurman speculated that this new model would actually be more expensive than the iPhone Pro and Pro Max models, which start at $1,099.
TWITTER COMPETITOR
Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, co-founders of Instagram, last week revealed details about their latest project: a social media app designed to compete with Twitter. Called Artifact, the entrepreneurs described the app as a "personalized news feed using the latest AI tech." Right now, the app is only accessible via invitation only, but those interested in a Twitter alternative can sign up for a wait list to eventually test out if Artifact is a serious contender.
ACTIVISION BLIZZARD SETTLEMENT
Activision Blizzard, the company behind Call of Duty and Overwatch, has settled charges over its handling of workplace harassment and discrimination claims with a $35 million fine. The Securities and Exchange Commission released a statement saying the company was aware that it lacked sufficient procedures to address the problem and needed to be more proactive to collect and assess the complaints.
Kellie Romack, Chief Digital Innovation Officer at ServiceNow, reveals the company’s latest announcement and how it’s shaping the future of work and tech.
Raina Moskowitz, CEO of The Knot Worldwide, unpacks the 2025 Global Wedding Report, from Gen Z trends to how Taylor Swift's wedding could reshape the industry.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.