Know The Difference Minute

Airbnb is hurting. They’ve lost hundreds of millions of dollars this year because of cancellations and that is also impacting hosts; the people who own the homes and apartments available to rent via the platform.

There’s been plenty of talk about the $1200 checks as part of the $2 trillion stimulus bill. But not everyone gets a check.

According to private network provider Nord VPN, workers who have shifted to remote workplaces are working longer days.

The Ford F-150 is now part of the COVID19 fight as engineers at their Advanced Engineering Center are working with 3M to redesign air-purifying respirators for 1st responders and health care workers.

With the shortage of ventilators for coronavirus victims, can private industry pitch in?

After demands from the United Auto Workers to shut down US plants in the interest of worker health, the Big 3 automakers will suspend production to allow crews to clean facilities and boost containment of COVID-19.

Amazon is making changes to its warehousing and shipment services to prioritize delivery of baby, health and household, beauty and personal care, grocery, industrial, scientific, and pet supplies along with other high-demand products.

Add Amtrak to the list of services being affected by the coronavirus. Employees were told yesterday it was planning significant reductions in service as bookings have dropped 50%.

75% of the supply chains of US companies are suffering coronavirus related disruptions. When key components are missing, production slows or even stops.

A Florida couple still aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship docked in Oakland, California has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the ship’s operator accusing the company of gross negligence.

European and Asian airlines are cancelling flights. Now, two carriers in the US have done the same.

Up one day. Down the other. Blame the Vix.

Two weeks early, the Fed makes a coronavirus-related move

It should be no surprise that people are taking advantage of coronavirus fear. From inflated prices for surgical masks on Amazon to storefronts selling Pandemic Prep Kits, the cash grab is on.

According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index, home prices have appreciated by nearly 3% year-over-year in December. At the FHA, their home price measure points to a 5.1% Q4 gain.

Another feather in the cap for Elon Musk who’s enjoying the performance of Tesla stock at the expense of short sellers who were convinced the price would collapse.

The new Burger King Whopper commercial contains a 34-day time-lapse where it slowly becomes covered in mold and consumed by green fungus.

US companies are cautioning investors that first quarter sales could take a hit from the spread of coronavirus. Yesterday, Apple went public. The $1.4 trillion company put out a surprise investor update warning that it no longer expects to meet the revenue guidance provided last month.

Wine coolers in the 80s. Zima in the 90s. Trendy beverages come and go, but are hard seltzers here to stay?

The 2020 Brand Intimacy Study is out. It’s a survey of 6200 consumers to rank brands and their emotional link with fans.

Total household debt balances have now climbed over $14 trillion for the first time.

$2200 bikes and a 97% retention rate? Not bad.

The new all-electric Amazon delivery van is an interesting story. But the company behind the vehicles is even more compelling. It’s Rivian, an electric vehicle startup backed by both Ford and Amazon.

Tesla's market cap makes it the most valuable US car company.

Altria spent a lot of money buying into vaping leader Juul for a LOT of money thinking it was the future. We all know how that went.

McDonald’s has found its groove with strong quarterly results and the best annual US performance in 13 years. Total 2019 sales went past $100 billion.

The British government announced today they will allow China's Huawei to help build the country's 5G networks in direct opposition to US concerns over national security.

As more Americans struggle to repay loans, today’s FICO score change might shave off points from their credit scores.

Even though he owns 20% of Tesla, CEO Elon Musk doesn’t receive a salary. But a big payday might be in his future.

The beverage industry saw beer sales dip 2% last year while demand for hard seltzers outpaced supply and created the White Claw shortage last summer. For about the same alcohol content as beer with a low-calories, beverage makers figure they’ve got a hit on their hands.

Heading into the holiday shopping season, the National Retail Federation anticipated spending growth between 3.8 and 4.2%. Good job. The real number arrived today and was 4.1%.

The President called it transformative and China described it as win-win as the two sides signed the 8-part Phase One agreement.

SUV's are good for the customer AND the car company

Housing sales are slowing, but not for the reason you think.

Can a couple enter a $1 million contest? Yes, but what happens when they WIN?

What's the view from the corner office?

When the Ford Mustang Mach-E was unveiled, the purists revolted. Guess what? Pre-orders are sold out.

Between the strong economy and a shorter-than-average shopping window, 147 million Saturday shoppers set a retail record with $34.4 billion in sales.

Supply and demand. At the very least, that’s what’s happening with existing home sales and the 1.7% drop for November according to the National Association of Realtors. The 5.3 million homes sold was the lowest since June and missed expectations by a mile.

The goal was 20 million worldwide subscriptions in the first year, but Disney Plus blew past that in November with 24 million signups.

With GM back to work, there was a 12.4% jump in the production of motor vehicles and parts in November. According to the Fed, production rose over 2% for consumer goods and nearly that much for business equipment.

It's more than a 5-finger discount. Organized crime is paying addicts to steal merchandise for later resale.

What's keeping CEO's up at night?

Goodbye, NAFTA. Hello USMCA.

The 20 new electric car models GM wants by 2023 will need batteries. GM has a plan to provide them.

Even though GM is killing the Buick Regal for the US and Canada, you can still get one.....in China

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday. Doesn't matter, we shopped 'em all on our mobile devices.

Black Friday used to be a very big deal. Not so fast, says Cyber Monday.

Best Buy's strategy is paying off and Q3 is proof. How'd they do it?

Between Walmart and Sam's Club, there are 400 stores in China. But Walmart is thinking bigger.