Money, Wealth & Power—A Daily Look at the Financial World
QVC, once synonymous with the thrill of televised impulse buys, is now confronting a wave of bankruptcy fears that would have been unthinkable at its peak. The home-shopping pioneer is wrestling with heavy debt, a shrinking audience, and a cable universe that no longer guarantees access to nearly every American living room. What hangs in…
Ikea is carrying out one of its biggest U.S. overhauls in years, shutting some stores while pouring fresh money into new formats and regions. The shakeup signals a decisive move away from relying solely on sprawling suburban warehouses and toward a mix of smaller locations, e-commerce, and services aimed at shoppers who expect speed and…
SoftBank Group has swung back to profit, powered by a surge in the value of its artificial intelligence holdings after years of bruising losses. The turnaround shows how Masayoshi Son’s willingness to stomach volatility is finally being rewarded as investors race to put a price on the next generation of AI platforms. The rebound is…
AT&T is working to tighten its grip on next‑generation connectivity, betting on a mix of cloud infrastructure and satellite links to keep customers online wherever they are. At the center of that strategy is a deepening relationship with satellite player AST SpaceMobile, which is expanding its spectrum position through new regulatory filings. These moves appear…
The sudden disappearance of a specific vodka and whiskey label from store shelves has less to do with rumor and more to do with paperwork. In the United States, a brand effectively vanishes the moment its government-approved label is surrendered, expired, or revoked, and that is what has happened with one mid-shelf spirit that had…
The latest U.S. jobs report looks like a win at first glance. Total nonfarm payrolls rose by 130,000 jobs in January 2026, while the unemployment rate held at 4.3% for the same month. Yet economist Dr. Elena Vasquez argues that the upbeat headline hides growing stress in the labor market and warns that policymakers risk…
HM Treasury has acknowledged that many companies will see their business rates rise after the latest budget changes, with industry estimates suggesting that around 7,000 firms could face bills that effectively double over the coming rating period. The admission appears in an official technical paper rather than a ministerial speech, yet the effect on retail,…
Donald Trump is selling a simple story about housing: cut borrowing costs, keep home prices rising, and everyone wins. That story might sound appealing to current homeowners, but the math behind it breaks down the moment you factor in renters and first-time buyers. His own words and his administration’s messaging point to a deeper flaw…
Eddie Bauer is turning its stores into liquidation outlets as the outdoor retailer’s operator works through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move underscores how urgently the company needs cash, because selling jackets, boots, and gear is one of the fastest ways to raise money while the court decides what happens next. For shoppers, the all-store sale…
Shoppers keep hearing that inflation is low and stable, yet the checkout total at the grocery store or the monthly bill from the electric company still feels punishing. Official reports say price growth is modest, but many households feel as if their money does not go as far as it used to. The gap between…