American Airlines CEO Says Merger with United Would Be 'Bad for Customers'
American Airlines chief Robert Isom told CNBC that a merger with United Airlines would be anticompetitive and harmful to consumers, labeling the idea a "nonstarter from the get-go." United’s CEO Scott Kirby had earlier floated the concept to a Trump‑administration official, prompting political pushback. President Donald Trump publicly opposed the deal and suggested a government‑backed rescue of Spirit Airlines instead. American reiterated it is not engaged in merger talks while seeking to narrow its gap with United and Delta through premium product investments.
Gas Prices Are Rising, but Don't Count on Significantly Lower Car Insurance Premiums as a Result
Rising gas prices, now averaging about $4 per gallon, have prompted many drivers to curb mileage. A new Insurify report finds that a 10% reduction in driving would shave only $27 off the average annual car‑insurance premium, a modest 1%...
Convenience Store Owner Yesway Is Stealing Customers From Fast-Food Chains, CEO Says
Yesway, a convenience‑store operator, debuted on Nasdaq under ticker YSWY, raising $280 million at $20 per share and valuing the company at $1.21 billion. Its Allsup’s brand sold 24 million burritos in 2025, helping the chain capture market share from fast‑food rivals despite...
RFK Jr. Says He Would Support a Potential Ban on Junk Food TV Ads
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would support a potential ban on junk‑food television advertisements, though he prefers a voluntary approach for food companies. The proposal follows similar arguments used to curb tobacco advertising and comes amid...
How Trump's Psychedelics Executive Order Could Unlock Stalled Cannabis Reform
President Donald Trump signed an executive order that accelerates research, clinical trials, and Right‑to‑Try access for psychedelics such as psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine, while leaving their scheduling unchanged. The order follows a prior, stalled effort to reschedule cannabis, highlighting the...
How the Wealthy Are Planning to Cut Their 2026 Tax Bills
Wealthy Americans are reshaping their 2026 tax strategies after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made many 2025 provisions permanent. With the estate‑tax exemption now $15 million, advisors are focusing on capital‑gains mitigation through long‑short tax‑loss harvesting and renewed bonus depreciation. Clients are also...
Spirit Airlines Could Liquidate as Early as This Week, Sources Say
Spirit Airlines could enter liquidation as early as this week, according to unnamed sources. The ultra‑low‑cost carrier is emerging from a second Chapter 11 filing after posting a $257 million loss that erased a $252 million profit reported a few months earlier. A...
Nearly 60% of U.S. Farmers Say Their Finances Are Getting Worse as Fertilizer, Fuel Costs Rise: Survey
A new American Farm Bureau Federation survey shows 58% of U.S. farmers say their finances are worsening as fertilizer and fuel costs surge due to Middle East shipping disruptions. Fertilizer prices jumped from $139 to $217 per acre, a 56%...
Blackstone’s Joan Solotar Says Investors Should Separate ‘Signal From the Noise’ in Private Credit
Blackstone’s private‑wealth head Joan Solotar warned investors to separate signal from noise as a wave of redemptions fuels fears of a private‑credit crisis. She noted worst‑case default scenarios of 15% would trim returns by roughly 300 basis points, pulling yields...
Disney Plans Layoffs of as Many as 1,000 Employees
Disney announced plans to lay off as many as 1,000 employees, with most cuts expected in its newly unified marketing division. The move is the latest phase of cost‑cutting under CEO Josh D'Amaro, who took the helm in March. It...
American Airlines Makes Bag Fees Even More Expensive for Basic Economy Tickets
American Airlines announced a $10 increase in checked‑bag fees, raising the first bag price to $50 and the second to $60 on most tickets. Basic‑economy passengers will face higher charges of $55 and $65, though a $5 online discount still...
DOJ Launches Probe Into NFL over Media Rights Packages and Antitrust Concerns
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an antitrust investigation into the NFL over its media‑rights distribution, citing concerns that the league’s model may limit competition and drive up consumer costs. The probe arrives as the NFL prepares to renegotiate...
Kia Plans to Launch U.S. Pickup Truck by 2030
Kia announced it will launch a midsize, body‑on‑frame pickup truck in the U.S. by 2030, including hybrid versions produced domestically. The move supports its goal of reaching 1.02 million U.S. vehicle sales and a 6.2 % market share by that year, up...
The Chinese Box Office Isn't the Hollywood Kingmaker It Used to Be. Here's Why
The Chinese box office, once a lucrative gateway for Hollywood, has lost its king‑maker status after the 2012 U.S.–China Film Agreement expired in 2017 and stricter censorship took hold. Beijing now favors domestic productions and can toggle foreign film distribution...
A Paramount-Warner Bros. Movie Slate Could Rule the 2027 Box Office, but Is It Sustainable?
Paramount Skydance’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery creates a merged studio aiming to release up to 30 films in 2027, with 26 theatrical titles already slated. The slate leans heavily on established franchises such as Godzilla‑Kong, Superman, Sonic the...