September 13, 2019

As the trade war with China heats up, Apple is starting to move some of its production to other nations throughout its global supplier network. But don’t expect the tech giant to return home to the U.S. anytime soon. This video shows how difficult it would be for Apple to manufacture its most popular products domestically and explores how the company could approach this problem in the future.

Questions:

  1. Why did Apple move production of the 2013 Mac Pro to Continue reading
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September 12, 2019

On Monday, attorneys general for 50 U.S. states and territories announced that Google would face a broad and bipartisan antitrust investigation. Lawmakers said the search giant’s domination of “all aspects of advertising on the Internet and searching on the Internet” could be harmful to consumers as well as the web at large. Google currently captures 75 percent of all spending on search ads in the U.S., leading to more than $48 billion in revenue from ads alone.

According to lawmakers, Continue reading

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September 10, 2019

Last week, Hurricane Dorian tore through the Caribbean and up the Southeastern Coast of the U.S., causing major damage all along the way. Two islands in particular, Abaco Island and Grand Bahama, faced huge devastation as a result of the tropical storm. According to the United Nations, more than 70,000 people in the Bahamas are now homeless and in need of food and water. (Click here to view a list of vetted relief organizations that are currently seeking donations.) Continue reading

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September 6, 2019

So far this year nearly 50,000 fires have been detected in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, the most recorded in almost a decade. According to international experts, the majority of these fires are not simply natural occurrences. In fact, a 2016 report from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization found that cattle farmers were responsible for 80 percent of deforestation in Brazil. These enormous agricultural operations often burn rainforest in order to clear land for cattle grazing. Experts believe that Continue reading

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September 5, 2019

In recent years, progressive policymakers have advocated to increase the minimum wage across the nation while other legislators oppose the measure entirely. Along with looking at the reasoning behind both sides, this video also explains how foreign countries deal with the complicated issue of the minimum wage. 

Questions:

  1. How does minimum wage policy in the U.S. differ from other countries?
  2. Should the U.S. develop a minimum wage system that is tied to inflation? Why or why not?
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September 3, 2019

In the days before e-commerce, department stores like Macy’s and J.C. Penney were the ultimate shopping destinations for millions of consumers. But with Amazon now dominating much of the retail world, these companies can no longer attract the same crowds as they did in their glory days. While Macy’s recently fell far short of its second quarter sales estimates, J. C. Penney has lost a total of $101 million so far in 2019. 

In order to make up for Continue reading

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August 30, 2019

For decades Lacroix sparkling water sat on the bottom shelves of countless grocery stores next to high class competitors like Perrier and S.Pellegrino. Too niche for regular consumers and too cheap for mineral water drinkers, LaCroix struggled for relevance until a company called National Beverage acquired it in the 1990s. Along with developing new flavors and adding more carbonation, the company also redesigned LaCroix’s cans and increased distribution around the country. By the mid-2000s many consumers began to turn away Continue reading

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August 29, 2019

On August 12, Popeyes announced that it was adding a new chicken sandwich to menus across the nation. The first of its kind at the fast food chain, Popeyes said this was its biggest product launch in more than 30 years. The sandwich soon became a hot topic on social media and grabbed the attention of more than just hungry customers. In the days following the launch, Chick-fil-A started a social media feud with Popeyes over which chain had the Continue reading

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August 27, 2019

Today’s top sneaker brands like Nike and Adidas are constantly releasing new designs in limited supplies. As a result, many “sneakerheads” often miss out on the latest styles while they’re available at retailers. That’s where resale sites like StockX come in. Unlike eBay, StockX doesn’t rely on straightforward auctions to move its merchandise. Instead, the company treats sneakers like tradable commodities that can quickly gain and lose value. For example, a pair of Nike’s Jordans could debut on StockX at Continue reading

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August 23, 2019

Last Wednesday, the stock market tanked after the yield curve for the bond market became inverted, meaning that interest rates on short-term bonds grew higher than those paid on long-term bonds. The video below takes a look at this complicated concept and explains why the “inverted yield curve” can be a warning sign of a recession. 

Questions:

  1. What is the difference between short-term and long-term bonds? 
  2. Why do investors consider the inverted yield curve to be a potential sign of a recession?
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