Here is a rundown of Cheddar News' top trending market stories of the day.
APPLE LABOR VIOLATIONS
The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled that various Apple policies violate labor laws designed to protect workers' right to collective action. The investigation began in 2021 after two former employees accused the company of maintaining work rules that banned discussing wages, hours or other terms of employment. The agency is also looking into statements from Apple executives that could have violated the National Labor Relations Act.
PENDING HOME SALES RISE
Pending home sales went up in December for the first time in six months, according to the National Association of Realtors. The measure jumped 2.5 percent from the month before, though the year-over-year measure is still down 33.8 percent. Some experts see the data as a turning point for the battered housing market. “This recent low point in home sales activity is likely over,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Mortgage rates are the dominant factor driving home sales, and recent declines in rates are clearly helping to stabilize the market.”
IMPOSSIBLE FOODS LAYOFFS
Impossible Foods is laying off 20 percent of its workforce or about 100 employees. This is the second round of cuts in less than six months. The company laid off 6 percent of its workers in October. In a controversial move, CEO Peter McGuinness quoted Martin Luther King Jr. in the initial layoff announcement. He has since apologized. The much-hyped maker of plant-based meat substitutes has struggled to maintain its ambitious growth plans in recent years.
SHOWTIME JOINS PARAMOUNT+
Paramount Global said it is fully integrating its streaming service, Paramount+, with Showtime. The integration will rebrand the company's streaming offering as Paramount+ with Showtime. The latter channel, available for an extra fee in pay-TV bundles, will now feature Paramount+ original series and spinoffs of popular shows such as "Yellowstone" and "Criminal Minds."
Nvidia on Wednesday became the first public company to reach a market capitalization of $5 trillion. The ravenous appetite for the Silicon Valley company’s chips is the main reason that the company’s stock price has increased so rapidly since early 2023.
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global, breaks down September’s CPI print and inflation trends, explaining what it means for markets.
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
