Autonomous vehicle programs globally often rely on human safety monitors, driving up operational costs and limiting scale. Tesla is testing fully driverless robotaxis on Austin's streets with no human safety operators, a first among major fleets. But this move is less about tech bravado and more about flipping

The U.S. housing market has largely been stuck with skyrocketing prices and stagnant sales, squeezing buyers out for years. Compass, a leading real estate brokerage, predicts that 2026 marks a critical turning point where home prices stabilize while incomes rise faster. This shift isn't about mortgage rate

Tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico have soared past original bid estimates, with some US match tickets reaching over $2,700. FIFA is using variable pricing based on demand rather than the fixed-price model promised in the initial "United bid"

Midterm election outcomes usually hinge on immediate voter sentiment, but that model is shifting with trillions of dollars promised in foreign and domestic investments. Donald Trump claims these inflows—which include $600 billion from the European Union, $550 billion from Japan, and $600 billion from Apple—will reshape the economy

Interest rate decisions drive trillions in economic activity—yet Kevin Hassett, a leading contender for Federal Reserve chair, dismisses any direct influence from President Donald Trump. Hassett recently told CBS Face the Nation that Trump’s opinions would hold ‘no weight’ on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) votes. This

Christmas tourism is a $100M+ industry often seen as seasonal and fragmented. Connecticut leveraged its status as the shooting location for over 22 Hallmark-style holiday films in 2025 to build a unique, systemized tourism draw. The Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail launched last year now fuels sold-out guided tours, combining film

In an era when AI conversations revolve around slashing labor costs, Tide Rock takes an opposite path. Managing $1 billion across 50+ founder-run businesses, this San Diego and New York buyout firm forbids using AI for cost-cutting. Instead, its CEO Ryan Peddycord emphasizes AI as a tool for aggressive growth,

South America now leads global oil output growth, yet Venezuela, with the world’s largest proven reserves, produces less than 1% of global supply. The U.S. is escalating military and economic pressure to reshape Venezuela’s oil sector as a strategic lever of influence. But this isn’t merely

Instagram ads cost $8-15 per install. ShopMy creators are driving over $1 billion in annual sales with no direct ad spend. This year, more than 185,000 creators on ShopMy turned affiliate marketing into a $216 billion channel, reshaping US e-commerce. J. Crew, among others, has embraced this influencer-powered model

China’s property sector debt crisis deepened as China Vanke failed to get bondholder approval to extend a 2 billion yuan bond payment due Monday. Vanke is a state-backed giant with projects in tier-1 cities, making its default risk a bellwether for the sector. But this standoff isn’t just

Mortgage rates near 7% have stalled many real estate markets, but seller financing is quietly reshaping listings in expensive U.S. metro areas. Texas homes priced between $800,000 and $3 million increasingly resort to creative deals where sellers act as lenders, offering below-market rates to buyers. This trend isn’

European luxury carmakers like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW have dominated China’s premium auto market for years. Now, Chinese buyers are turning away from these foreign marques toward affordable local brands offering high-tech features at deep discounts. This shift is not just about price—it exposes a new leverage mechanism

The price of lidar sensors has fallen from five figures a decade ago to roughly the cost of radar today, according to Rivian’s autonomy chief James Philbin. Rivian plans to install lidar in its upcoming R2 SUV, aiming for full autonomy deployment by late 2026. But this isn’t

China’s southern residents are reshaping tourism flows by flocking north to ski resorts, a shift defying traditional seasonal patterns and geographic expectations. Since November 15, the Changbai Beautiful China Resort in Jilin province saw over 110,000 visitors, a nearly 40% increase year-on-year, boosting airlines and operators like Genting

Silicon Valley startups typically wage fierce battles for talent, but Figure AI received an unprecedented 176,000 job applications in just three years—hiring fewer than 500. This .24% acceptance rate dwarfs elite college admissions and highlights a hidden hiring bottleneck. Figure AI’s“Applying to a job in 2025

The rise of experiential malls is transforming Shanghai’s retail landscape as competition tightens, driven by a strategic shift unlike traditional retail upgrades. Hong Kong developer Hang Lung Properties recently secured a 20-year lease for the No 1038 West Nanjing Road project, poised to become an integrated retail and hospitality

The battle for the world’s most valuable private company just escalated dramatically. Elon Musk plans a secondary share sale that could push SpaceX to an $800 billion valuation, overtaking OpenAI’s $500 billion mark set in October. But this rivalry with Sam Altman isn’t just about headline valuations—

Electrification has revolutionized transport costs worldwide, yet ocean shipping remains stubbornly dependent on fossil fuels. China is reshaping this with electric-powered vessels powered by Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and Gotion High-tech, its dominant EV battery makers, accelerating new-energy ship adoption in late 2025. This move extends China’s industrial leverage

Sky-high AI salaries have shattered norms, with Meta offering up to $250 million packages to engineers and researchers. Microsoft, led by AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, rejects this arms race, opting for a culture- and selectivity-driven hiring approach instead. This isn’t just about paycuts—it's a deliberate leverage

Global power struggles over the Arctic are heating up, with mineral-rich Greenland at the center of a U.S., Russia, and Europe contest. Denmark's latest intelligence report highlights how under Donald Trump's administration, U.S. economic power is weaponized with military threats, even against allies. But

The US agricultural economy is under pressure as farmers face soaring costs and collapsing crop prices. A recent Chicago Fed survey revealed that non-real-estate farm loan repayments in the Midwest have declined for eight consecutive quarters, with 21% of lenders increasing collateral demands. Meanwhile, crop farmers anticipate a near 25%

Investors exited the AI trade last week, pivoting funds into materials, industrials, financials, and healthcare. The sector rotation, underpinned by caution around Oracle’s recent earnings and spending outlook, is gaining traction. But this isn’t just a fleeting market mood swing. Wall Street analysts see it as a structural

When OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, it set an AI innovation benchmark few expected to meet quickly. China's government and technology firms, including Tsinghua University experts, scrambled to decode the generative AI leap and respond with their own platforms. But this race isn't just about

Africa’s ecosystem just proved scale isn’t just a Silicon Valley game. A record 32,000 entrepreneurs from 54 nations competed in the 2025 African Business Heroes summit hosted in Rwanda, marking the largest start-up event continent-wide. Organized by the Jack Ma Foundation and sponsored by Alibaba Philanthropy, this