The Week's Top Stories is a guided tour through the biggest market stories of the week, from winning stocks to brutal dips to the facts and forecasts generating buzz on Wall Street.
LYFT LAGS
Lyft shares initially popped following the announcement that co-founder Logan Green is stepping down and David Risher, formerly of Amazon and Microsoft, will take over day-to-day operations. The stock then declined as the bear case against the company, which has struggled to generate profits or keep up with rival rideshare giant Uber, won the day. For more context, check out Cheddar News Senior Reporter Michelle Castillo's interview with Risher about his plans for the company.
ALIBABA SPLITS
Alibaba is splitting into six different business groups, and investors appear excited about the opportunities the new companies will generate. Shares of the Chinese company shot up 8 percent on Tuesday and is on track to finish the week up around 17 percent. Here are the names of the six new groups: Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Business Group, Local Services Group, Global Digital Business Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics, and Digital Media and Entertainment Group. Alibaba said each company will raise capital on its own and pursue its own initial public offerings.
VIRGIN ORBIT LAYOFFS
Virgin Orbit announced on Thursday that it's planning to lay off 85 percent of its workforce or 675 workers. The company has struggled to secure funding after a failed mission three months ago. The botched January mission would have been the first satellite launch from Europe, and its failure was seen by many as a major setback for both the company and the space industry on the continent. Virgin Orbit later admitted that the launch failed because its rocket's fuel filter disconnected.
LULULEMON RALLIES
Shares of Lululemon Athletica jumped 13 percent after the retailer reported an earnings beat for the crucial holiday quarter. The company also reported an optimistic outlook for the year, as demand for activewear remains steady. The beat gave a boost to other athleisure brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Puma.
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.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
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