Stock futures opened mixed Thursday evening, holding near record levels as investors digested the latest, mixed set of economic data and earnings results. Contracts on the Nasdaq and S&P 500 ticked lower, while Dow futures gained. Both the S&P 500 and Dow ended at record closing levels on Thursday, continuing to make new highs as optimism over both the pace of the economic recovery and strength in corporate earnings results lingered.   Disney (DIS) shares jumped in late trading after the Dow… Source link

With two giants calling the shots and collecting whatever tolls they see fit, mobile software makers have long complained that app stores take an unfair cut of the cash that should be flowing directly to developers. Hearing those concerns, a group of senators introduced a new bill this week that, if passed, would greatly diminish Apple and Google’s ability to control app purchases in their operating systems and completely shake up the way that mobile software gets distributed. The… Source link

Federal data reveals that despite the interest-free payment pause allowing borrowers to find some breathing room during the pandemic, two-thirds of nearly 430,000 student loan borrowers were still “underwater” — meaning that they still haven’t been able to make a dent on their original balance. The data, obtained from the Education Department (ED) by the Center for Responsible Lending and the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) through a freedom of information request (FOIA) and provided to… Source link

Adidas (ADDYY) has reached an agreement to sell Reebok to Authentic Brands for nearly $2.5 billion, in a majority cash deal. The German sports retailer bought Reebok in 2006 for $3.8 billion to help compete against Nike (NKE). However, after 15 years of lower-than-expected sales, its ready to part ways with the American brand. “Reebok has been a valued part of Adidas, and we are grateful for the contributions the brand and the team behind it have made to our company. With this change in… Source link

V-12 powered sports cars and rare Ferraris, each worth multiple millions of dollars, lead the line-up at this year’s annual Gooding & Company Pebble Beach auction.  “Ferrari has been in such strong demand for such a long time because they build absolutely fantastic cars,” President and CEO David Gooding told Yahoo Finance Live. “There’s everything about them that is magical.”  Gooding is the official auction house of the iconic Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance which concludes on Aug. 15…. Source link

When it looks like the U.S. has the answers to the pandemic, COVID-19 keeps changing the questions. Parents and teachers must now contend with the Delta variant as millions of students starting or preparing to go back to school. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona told Yahoo Finance that he is paying attention not just as a federal official but also as a father. “I want to make sure that when my children return to school, I’m sending them to an environment that’s taking all the… Source link

Google has banned a company that sold Android users’ location data for COVID-19 mapping and other purposes, Motherboard reports. SafeGraph was one of several companies that collected geolocation records through plug-ins in other Android apps, then aggregated it for organizations including The New York Times and Centers for Disease Control. According to Motherboard, Google told developers in June that they had to remove SafeGraph’s software development kit within seven days…. Source link

Taco Bell (YUM) is stepping into the future latest restaurant design. Dubbed “Taco Bell Defy,” the food giant is doubling down on trends amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely digital ordering and delivery. The location is expected to debut in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, but won’t actually open its doors until the summer of 2022. According to the company, the new design concept was developed by Minneapolis-based Vertical Works, and includes a drive-thru experience with four lanes…. Source link

Attracting workers is one of the biggest challenges for the economy as it recovers from the pandemic. It’s a hurdle the restaurant business knows all too well. “Labor has always been a big challenge. But I think it’s more difficult than ever now,” says David Novak, founder and CEO of David Novak Leadership and co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands (YUM), which operates KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, among other brands.  “Everybody that I’ve talked to says it’s never been harder to get the… Source link

Americans should be cautious before buying a car amid high prices and low inventory within the automotive industry, Rodo CEO Nathan Hecht said in an interview with Yahoo Finance. “I think the only reason you buy into this market today is if you really need a car,” Hecht said. “As we get into September, October, November, new car inventories should start to replenish, not to their normal levels, but just replenish as factory output increases.” Demand for both new and used cars is on the… Source link