Category: Finance

The wildfires raging across Los Angeles are setting the scene for a real estate nightmare. Thousands of homes and other structures are destroyed and hundreds of thousands of residents have been evacuated at various times. Many will not return for months, if ever. Homeless in an instant, they are now flooding the housing market, desperately […]

China has unveiled plans to invest a substantial $272 billion into its national data infrastructure over the next five years, aiming to create a unified national data market. The initiative, led by the National Development and Reform Commission, will allocate approximately 400 billion yuan (around $54.5 billion) annually from 2024 to 2029. Zhulin Shen, deputy […]

Capitalism, communism and socialism are the world’s three major economic systems. While the phrase “economic system” may seem like a yawn, countless people have fought and died in major wars over which one should dominate. Shifts from one system to another, like the 1989 fall of communism in much of Eastern Europe, changed the lives […]

Picture yourself living the American Dream. You likely have more opportunity than your parents did. Through hard work, smart choices and perhaps some good luck along the way, you have financial stability and a great deal of freedom to choose your next steps in life. Chances are also good that you live in or near […]

Amazon India has announced a strategic investment of $120 million in local startups focused on the consumer goods manufacturing sector. This move aims to accelerate the digital transformation of these companies and help them scale in both domestic and global markets. The funding will be channeled through the Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund, which was established […]

The holiday shopping season is now here, and Americans are ready to splurge. The average U.S. shopper expects to spend more than US$1,000 on gifts for Christmas and other winter holidays this year, surveys show. These days, consumers have no shortage of payment options, each seemingly more enticing than the last. Do you swipe your […]

If finding the right present and making sure the recipient gets it on time leaves you feeling anxious, you’re not alone. More than half of Americans say that gift-giving stresses them out. Concerns about on-time delivery are so common that people share holiday deadlines for each shipping service. And in the event that you can’t […]

Have you ever hesitated at the register, uncomfortable as an employee watched you choose a tip? It’s not just you. The rise of digital tipping systems – from point-of-sale devices held by employees to countertop screens that clearly display your selection – is changing the dynamics of tipping, often in ways that make customers feel […]

Imagine going on a road trip and passing several seemingly identical McDonald’s restaurants. Despite their uniform appearance, their ownership may vary widely: One might be run by a family, another by an individual entrepreneur, and others owned directly by the corporation. This is possible because McDonald’s, like many other well-known fast-food restaurant chains, operates a […]

Energy Revolution Ventures (ERV), a venture capital firm focused on energy tech, has successfully raised $18 million for its seed and Series A fund aimed at advancing scalable climate technologies. The fund will primarily target deeptech companies working to address significant engineering and scientific challenges within the energy sector. The capital will be deployed into […]