Money, Wealth & Power—A Daily Look at the Financial World
Instacart’s decision to end its AI-powered price experiments followed a wave of complaints from shoppers who discovered they were paying more than others for the same groceries. I examine how the tests worked, why they triggered such a backlash, and what the fallout means for consumers, regulators, and the broader use of artificial intelligence in…
New York drivers and shippers are staring at a toll increase that did not arrive through the usual front door of public hearings and formal votes. Instead, a quiet policy shift by the Thruway Authority has triggered what critics describe as a hidden hike, and the way it happened is setting off alarms far beyond…
Netflix’s blockbuster agreement to buy key Warner Bros assets is already reshaping expectations for the streaming market, and the most immediate question for subscribers is simple: how soon will their monthly bill go up. The price of this deal, the history of Netflix’s past increases, and the timing of the merger all point to a…
California’s push toward electric vehicles is colliding with an old-fashioned problem: how to pay for roads when drivers are buying less gasoline. With gas tax revenue slipping and zero-emission mandates accelerating, state officials are testing a new idea that would charge drivers by the mile instead of by the gallon. The proposal would turn every…
Walmart is reshaping its holiday playbook with a sweeping change to how long shoppers have to bring back gifts, a move that could ease some of the stress that comes with peak-season spending. Instead of racing to return unwanted items in the first days of January, customers now get a longer, clearer window that stretches…
Chicago leaders are weighing a new way to plug a yawning budget gap: a flat $1.25 charge on nearly every package that lands on a resident’s doorstep. The proposal would effectively turn the city’s booming home delivery habit into a dedicated revenue stream, testing how far officials can lean on e-commerce without sparking a consumer…
Amazon is preparing to email millions of Prime subscribers to tell them they are getting money back, the most visible consumer moment yet in a record federal settlement over how the company handled its flagship membership program. The automatic refunds will land in accounts without customers having to file paperwork, but the details of who…
AT&T is again raising the cost of staying online, even as its core business delivers hundreds of millions of dollars in fresh revenue and steady profit growth. The company’s latest round of price increases has landed badly with customers, who are venting across social media and warning they are ready to walk. I see a…
A sweeping new grocery law is about to change how millions of Americans shop, from the brands they see on shelves to the way they pay at the register. Instead of quiet tweaks at the margins, lawmakers have approved a package that touches prices, data privacy, labor rules, and even the design of supermarket apps,…
Lawmakers are advancing a new wave of “cash laws” that could quietly reshape everyday shopping, from the corner grocery to big-box chains and self-checkout lanes. Instead of letting retailers decide whether to accept notes and coins, these proposals would require businesses to keep taking physical money, changing how millions of people pay at the till….