AccuWeather has announced a 2017 holiday sales forecast that exceeds National Retail Federation estimates by as much as $4 billion. Founder, President, and Chairman of AccuWeather Joel Myers joins Cheddar to discuss how much of that spending is weather-related.
He says that people get into the holiday shopping mood when the weather gets cold and snowy. And because of that, this has been a positive year for the retail industry. As for those last minute shoppers, Myers says he doesn't see a weather forecast that will impact shipping. He does foresee some delays due to the bottleneck of ordering last minute.
Plus, will you see a White Christmas? Myers predicts no extreme cold or heavy snow in the heavily populated areas around America. Montana and Wyoming will see some snow on Christmas Day, while towns north of Chicago and Detroit will get a dusting as well. However, eastern states aren't expected to see much snowfall this holiday.
Americans are expected to spend nearly $24 billion in 2022 for Valentine's Day, and many of those gifts will be in the form of chocolate. John Galloway, interim president of the Americas and CMO of Godiva, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what chocolate trends the brand is seeing this year, plus the impact of inflation and supply chain issues on the industry.
New York City's famous subway system is currently facing scrutiny after several recent attacks on platforms. Now, local leaders in the Big Apple are calling on the MTA. To step in and take action.
New York City ride-hailing app drivers are about to get a pay raise. According to the city's Mayor Eric Adams, New York will increase its minimum driver pay rate for both Uber and Lyft drivers. This means both platforms would now be required to pay their drivers a minimum of $1.61 cents per mile and about 0.50 cents per minute. Ultimately, the move would give riders at least a 5.3% race. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Tensions in Ukraine continue to rise. According to NATO and U.S. officials, Russian troops are still being built up despite Moscow's claims of de-escalation. However, Ukraine does not believe the troops are enough to mount an invasion. The government in Kyiv has also reported several cyber attacks against its defense agencies and banks which is the largest attack in the country's history. Foreign Affairs Reporter based in Ukrain, Terrell Starr, joined Cheddar to discuss more
