Author: Jamie Carpenter

U.S. Currency Faces Steepest Fall in Decades Despite a wave of new trade agreements, the U.S. dollar is down more than 10% this year, marking its worst first-half performance since 1973. The slump is reigniting fears of de-dollarization, as global investors begin to scale back their reliance on the greenback amid growing fiscal and political uncertainty in the United States. This trend, if it continues, could undermine both the dollar’s dominance in global trade and U.S. equity valuations. Investors and policymakers alike are closely watching the shifts, with market veteran Mohamed El-Erian warning of a potential “Jimmy Carter moment” —…

Justice Department Launches Criminal Investigation UnitedHealth Group is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for potential Medicare billing fraud. The insurer disclosed in a regulatory filing that the DOJ’s healthcare fraud unit has issued both civil and criminal inquiries following a series of reports about its billing practices. Shares of UnitedHealth fell 4.7% after the disclosure. The probe centers on the company’s role in the Medicare Advantage system, where private insurers are paid to provide care in place of traditional Medicare. According to reports, UnitedHealth and other insurers allegedly inflated payments by adding inaccurate diagnoses to patient profiles,…

Strategic Alliance Between NFL and ESPN Progresses The National Football League is approaching a landmark agreement to acquire a minority stake—potentially up to 10%—in ESPN, according to sources familiar with the matter. Although the terms are not finalized, the deal is reportedly close to completion after over two years of negotiations. While the final percentage could end up smaller, both sides are reportedly committed to strengthening their partnership. This move would unite two of the most influential names in American sports media, reinforcing ESPN’s position as a key broadcasting partner of the NFL. Currently, ESPN is majority owned by Disney…

Strong Earnings Amid Weather and Demand Challenges American Airlines exceeded Wall Street expectations for the second quarter of 2025, reporting adjusted earnings per share of 95 cents and revenue of $14.39 billion. These results were driven by international travel strength, premium cabin demand, and growth in its loyalty program. On a GAAP basis, net income reached $599 million, or 91 cents per share, underscoring the carrier’s resilience amid industry turbulence and disruptive weather events. Operationally, the airline saw a 3.2% year-over-year rise in available seat miles and a 0.9% gain in revenue passenger miles. However, its load factor dipped to…

Investors Pile into Unprofitable Brands as Market Climbs With Wall Street indexes nearing record highs, a growing number of individual investors are diving into struggling brands in search of overlooked opportunities. This week, doughnut chain Krispy Kreme, camera maker GoPro, and plant-based meat producer Beyond Meat surged in trading volume, signaling a revival of speculative stock enthusiasm often associated with online communities and meme stock culture. These companies, despite weak fundamentals and unclear paths to profitability, became sudden targets for retail traders seeking quick gains. Their rapid ascents mirrored past speculative cycles, with volatile price movements driven less by earnings…

Strong Q2 Results Driven by Ads and New AI Features Alphabet Inc. has surpassed Wall Street’s expectations for its second-quarter revenue, reporting $96.43 billion in total earnings. The stronger-than-anticipated performance was fueled by solid digital ad sales and growing momentum from artificial intelligence features across Google’s services. The reported figure beat analysts’ average estimate of $94 billion, showing continued resilience in Alphabet’s core businesses despite global tech sector uncertainty. However, shares slipped about 1 percent in after-hours trading, following a rally of more than 18 percent since the previous earnings report in April. AI Investment Soars to $85 Billion for…

Heavy losses tied to tariffs and restructuring plans Stellantis estimates a net loss of 2.3 billion euros ($2.68 billion) for the first half of the year, largely due to U.S. tariffs and major financial charges. The automaker attributes approximately 300 million euros of that figure to net tariffs incurred, alongside production losses stemming from its ongoing response strategy. Following earlier decisions to suspend guidance in April, Stellantis halted operations at facilities in Canada and Mexico and temporarily laid off 900 workers in Michigan and Indiana. These measures came after a 25% tax was imposed on imported vehicles by the Trump…

Wall Street braces for declines in profit and revenue Tesla is set to release its second-quarter earnings on July 23 after market close, with analysts projecting adjusted earnings per share of $0.39 and revenue of $22.22 billion. Both figures represent double-digit declines from the same quarter last year, driven by a 25% drop in EPS and a 13% dip in sales. Despite continued retail investor enthusiasm, Tesla shares are down 16% year-to-date, trailing the broader S&P 500 and shedding nearly one-third of their value since December. The slide reflects concerns about lower sequential deliveries and the lingering impact of aggressive…

Jonathan Fitzpatrick to Take Over Leadership on July 28 Subway has named Jonathan Fitzpatrick as its new CEO, effective July 28. Fitzpatrick is a former executive at Burger King and most recently served as CEO of Driven Brands, an automotive services company backed by Roark Capital. His appointment concludes a months-long search to replace John Chidsey, who retired at the end of 2024 after a five-year tenure. Chidsey played a pivotal role in Subway’s recent history, overseeing the $9.6 billion sale of the family-owned chain to Roark Capital in 2023. Fitzpatrick brings a strong background in brand management and operations,…

Luxury Sector Expands into Private Aviation L Catterton, the private equity firm affiliated with luxury powerhouse LVMH, has announced an $800 million investment in private jet company Flexjet. The deal, which grants the group a 20% stake, includes contributions from KSL Capital Partners and the J Safra Group. Flexjet will remain majority-owned by Directional Aviation Capital. This move reinforces LVMH’s growing interest in the experience economy, as luxury consumers increasingly seek high-end travel and bespoke services. The partnership aims to link Flexjet with LVMH’s prestigious brand portfolio, including Louis Vuitton, Dom Perignon, Dior, and Tiffany & Co. Flexjet Targets Experiential…