A look at the events that are sure to make the market move next week — the final week of 2019!
Illinois is ringing in the new year by legalizing pot. On January 1st, residents that are at least 21 years old will legally be allowed to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana flower, 5 grams of cannabis concentrate and products infused with half a gram of THC. Non-residents will be allowed to purchase half of those amounts. Stores are planning to open their doors as early as 6am Wednesday to manage the anticipated rush.
Next week is a big travel week as the holiday season comes to a close. AAA says a record 115.6 million Americans will have traveled between December 21st and Wednesday, January 1st. More than 90 percent will travel by car, the most on record. But AAA doesn't expect many delays from the influx in travelers — unless you're in big cities like New York or Washington DC. Traffic in those cities will triple next week.
There's also been a 5% jump in air travel, the biggest year-over-year increase since AAA began tracking this data in 2000.
Not everyone was happy with their holiday presents this year. On January 2nd, National Returns Day, people are expected to deposit 1.9 million packages according to UPS. That's an increase of 26% from last year. Thursday is set to mark the seventh consecutive record National Rreturns Day, following growing e-commerce gift purchases. A rise in returns spells out bad news for retailers, costing up to millions of dollars in lost sales.
Zack Malet, Senior Director of Business Development & Innovation, joins Cheddar to discuss ESPN experiences and how they are changing the sports travel game.
Smashburger CEO Denise Nelsen discusses how her time building the Starbucks brand gave her the tools to lead a Smashburger brand refresh, value wars, and more.
Charles Gillespie, Founder and CEO of Gambling.com Group comments on the billions of dollars in wagers placed on the outcome of the 2024 election and more.
Danny Trejo joined Cheddar to discuss his upcoming show "Mysteries Unearthed" coming to the History Channel and his most recent entrepreneurial ventures.
His Royal Highness Prince Emanuele Filiberto Di Savoia, Prince of Venice, joined Cheddar to discuss his new game that lets everyday folks feel like a royal.
GJ Hart, CEO of Red Robin, discusses the company's place in the "value wars," what's next for the restaurant and his thoughts on Shake Shack in the sky. Watch!
Chiza Vitta, Managing Director Global Analytics at S&P Global Ratings joined Cheddar to discuss S&P's recent Megatrend findings and other 2025 predictions.
Greg O'Hara CEO at Certares joined Cheddar to discuss his personal experience with Wellness Tourism and his predictions for the future of the growing industry.