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☆ Advertisers slashed spending on X by more than 55% ahead of this year's Super Bowl
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Last year, Adweek reported, major advertisers started shifting their Super Bowl strategy away from the X platform in favor of sites like TikTok and Reddit. According to MediaRadar's analysis of this year, the same advertisers slashed spending ahead of Super Bowl LVIII on the platform by 55%, to $21.1 million. The report found that despite the cuts, BetMGM, alongside Oreo, remained among the top spenders for the upcoming Super Bowl. AdvertisementX's advertising exodus comes for the Super BowlOn X, per AdAge magazine, the cost to create a promoted trending topic is $700,000 during the Super Bowl. "It also shows the race to the bottom that the X platform has fallen into," he added.

Persons: —, Adweek, MediaRadar, BetMGM, Musk, Todd Krizelman, Jeff MacDonald, Mekanism Organizations: Twitter, YouTube, Service, Sunday, Facebook, Bowl, NFL Enterprises, McDonald's, Oreo, Super, CNN, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Elon, Insider Intelligence, Business Locations: MediaRadar

☆ LVMH takes aim at $30 billion watch market with high-end, reinvented pieces
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Sales of luxury watches worldwide are estimated at about $30 billion this year, according to market research firm IMARC Group. A Zenith luxury watch at 2024 Watch Week in Miami. A Bulgari Serpenti Secret watch at 2024 Watch Week in Miami. A TAG Heuer luxury watch at 2024 Watch Week in Miami. A Zenith luxury watch at 2024 Watch Week in Miami.

Persons: Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Dior, Frederic Arnault, LVMH, Bernard Arnault, CNBC Frederic Arnault, Benoit de Clerck, Jean, Christophe Babin, Babin, women's, —, Diamant, Tourbillon, Julien Tornare Organizations: IMARC, TAG, Zenith, CNBC, LVMH's, Executives, CNBC LVMH, CNBC TAG, Carrera, TAG Heuer Locations: Miami, America, U.S, Swiss, LVMH

☆ Intel stock sinks as early 2024 outlook comes up short
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Pat Gelsinger, CEO Intel, speaking on CNBC's Squawk Box at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 16th, 2024. Intel posted net income of $2.7 billion, or 63 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $0.7 billion, or 16 cents per share, last year. Intel CFO David Zinsner said in a statement that Intel had cut $3 billion in costs last year. Intel's Network and Edge department, which sells parts for carriers and networking, reported $1.5 billion in sales, down 24% from last year. Intel foundry services, its business making chips for other companies, remains nascent, with $291 million in revenue, a 63% annual increase.

Persons: Pat Gelsinger, Gelsinger, David Zinsner Organizations: Intel, Wall, Gartner, Nvidia, AMD, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Intel's, Computing, Data Center, Edge Locations: Davos, Switzerland

☆ China’s Travel Economy Is Slowly Coming Back. Here’s Where It Stands.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Tiffany May | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Since China reopened its borders in 2023 after three years of Covid isolation, domestic travel has thrived and high-speed rail has grown increasingly popular. Before the pandemic, Chinese travelers were the world’s biggest spenders, accounting for 20 percent of global tourism spending, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Among the changes: China has waived travel visas or agreed to extend the length of visa-free travel for visitors from eight countries, including Germany and France. The main factor holding back international travel by Chinese will continue to be China’s economy. As they think twice about their business in China, travel suffers.

Organizations: United Nations World Tourism Organization Locations: China, Germany, France, United States, Europe

☆ What the duck is going on with these spending bills?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Zachary Wolf | Analysis Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The duck stamp act incident of early 2024 sets up two new funding deadlines on March 1 and March 8. Short-term funding bills that keep the lights on are clearly not how the massive US government is supposed to be run. There’s been least one short-term spending bill in all but three fiscal years since 1977, according to the Congressional Research Service. Why use the duck stamp bill to fund the government? Spending bills are supposed to begin in the House, and so to make this latest stopgap measure work, senators substituted the spending bill into a House-passed bill originally having to do with the duck stamp, making it possible for duck hunters to carry an electronic as opposed to paper duck stamp during the “taking of waterfowl.”Fear not for the duck hunters.

Persons: …, Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, Johnson, McCarthy, it’s, There’s Organizations: CNN, Republican Party, Senate, Congressional Research Service Locations: Washington

☆ American Airlines' frequent flyer program is changing. Here’s what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Elite status on airlines rewards big spenders with perks like complimentary upgrades and free checked bags. First things first: American Airlines isn't changing the requirements to earn elite status at the airline in the coming earning year. Loyalty programs were a lifeline for airlines during the Covid pandemic when travel slowed to a trickle. Carriers have been grappling with a surge in elite travelers, repeatedly increasing the requirements to earn status, and tweaking benefits. For customers striving for elite status, the airline will give them bonus loyalty points after they've earned 15,000.

Persons: Ronald Reagan, Scott Chandler, American's, they've Organizations: American Airlines Airbus, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, American Airlines, Admirals Club, Delta Air Lines, United, Delta Locations: Ronald Reagan Washington, Arlington , Virginia, American

☆ Asia's young and wealthy are fueling demand for art — what are they collecting?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Quek Jie Ann | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Auctioneer Victoire Gineste gestures as she adjudicates for 20 million euros ($21.9 million) a recently rediscovered drawing by Michelangelo, the artist's first known nude, at the Christie's auction house in Paris on May 18, 2022. Wealthy, young collectors in Asia have been fueling demand for art — particularly via online channels — and have emerged as a key clientele for international auction houses. A report from the auction house showed a 65% increase in new Gen Z buyers in 2023. Sotheby's 2023 report stated that bidding activity of younger collectors grew to 30% in the first half of 2023 from 6% in 2018. Millennials and Gen X — aged 44 to 59 — are classified as "younger collectors" by the auction house.

Persons: Victoire, Michelangelo, Gen Zers, Christie's, Phillips, millennials, Millennials, X — Organizations: Art Basel, UBS Survey, CNBC Locations: Paris, Asia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Christie's Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Asia Pacific, Americas, Europe, millennials, South Korea

This year, 59% retailers offer so-called "returnless" or "keep it" policies for unwanted products whose returns costs exceed their value, according to returns services firm goTRG, which surveyed 500 executives at 21 major retailers, including Walmart (WMT.N) and Amazon.com (AMZN.O). That information is "not something that retailers want out there" due to worries the policies could be abused by shoppers, he said. The firm helps retailers manage returns, which typically rise after pre-Christmas sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday and continue beyond Christmas. The typical return costs retailers about $30. "You just can't afford to ignore it," she said of returns costs.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Sender Shamiss, Shamiss, Amena Ali, Ali, Gabrielle Richards, Pamela Peters, Peters, Lisa Baertlein, Arriana McLymore, Siddharth Cavale, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, ANGELES, Black, Walmart, Super Bowl, Reuters, eBay, Appriss Retail, National Retail Federation, Amazon.com, Thomson Locations: Macy’s, Roosevelt, Garden City , New York, U.S, Los Angeles, New York

☆ 'You can't trust your instincts,' says financial psychologist—here's how to avoid emotional spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Annie Probert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

When it comes to emotional spending, "the deck is stacked against us," says financial psychologist and certified financial planner Brad Klontz. Roughly 75% of both millennials and Gen Z admit to emotional spending, possibly because they're less likely to think about their retirement funds when clicking "buy." "But as you're pulling the trigger, you're pretty excited about this thing you're buying." While emotional spending is a common habit, it's not one you want to turn into a bigger problem. Nearly 40% of emotional spenders say they've gone into debt because of it, and Klontz warns of the stress that emotional spending can put on your finances and relationships.

Persons: Brad Klontz, Gen Z, they're, That's, Klontz, spender Organizations: CNBC

☆ Indians are spending big on travel, but most of that money isn't leaving the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The world famous Gateway of India monument in Mumbai, India was built during the 20th century to commemorate the visit of king George V and Queen Mary. India's travel landscape is changing as the country emerges as a powerhouse in the tourism sector. Their willingness to spend big while traveling is going, but research shows that most Indians are traveling domestically — not overseas. Indian travelers took 1.7 billion leisure trips in 2022 but most never left the country, and only about 1% traveled abroad, according to Booking.com and McKinsey. Here are the top 10 spots for Indians traveling within their own country, according to Booking.com and McKinsey.

Persons: George V, Queen Mary, McKinsey Organizations: McKinsey, McKinsey Mumbai, CNBC Locations: India, Mumbai, McKinsey ., Delhi Bengaluru Mumbai Chennai Pune Hyderabad, Jaipur Kochi Kolkata, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi

☆ Are You Ready for the Holiday Flight Season?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

And be aware that it may be getting harder to earn elite airline status. Delta recently made changes to its frequent-flier program that take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, after it faced sharp backlash to changes that would reward the biggest spenders, not the most-frequent fliers.

☆ United Airlines tweaks frequent flyer program to reward credit card spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

United Airlines plans to make it easier for customers to earn elite status through co-branded Chase credit cards, the latest airline to tweak its lucrative frequent flyer program to reward big spenders. The airline isn't changing overall requirements for elite frequent flyer status next year, a first for the carrier since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, United said Thursday that in 2024, it will reward customers with 25 qualifying points for every $500 they spend on co-branded cards. The carrier will also lift caps on credit card spending that can qualify toward elite status. Airlines reward their elites with perks such as free upgrades, when available; earlier boarding; and other perks.

Persons: United Organizations: Airlines, Delta Air Lines

☆ Elon Musk's latest money making idea for X? Selling old Twitter handles for $50,000 a pop, report says.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

X is looking to generate new revenue by selling off old Twitter handles, Forbes reported. X is looking to address a huge advertising shortfall following Elon Musk's takeover last year. AdvertisementAdvertisementElon Musk's X is working on a plan to generate new revenue by selling off old Twitter handles, Forbes reported Friday. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe company is looking to plug a huge advertising revenue shortfall following Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter last November. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertising accounted for 90% of X's revenue in 2021 when it last publicly reported its financial results.

Persons: X, Elon Musk's, —, Elon, Forbes, Alex Konrad, X didn't, Linda Yaccarino, Musk Organizations: Forbes, Elon, Service, Twitter, Ebiquity, Grok

☆ This city never slept. Now with China tightening its grip, is the party over?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

China’s message at the time was that even if change was coming to Hong Kong, its spirit of “anything goes” would be staying put. People gather outside a restaurant on a near-empty street in the Soho area of Hong Kong. Officials say they were “fluorescent.”A Hong Kong government spokesman told CNN this week that the activities were “well-received by local residents and tourists”. Under Hong Kong’s pandemic restrictions, live music was all but banned in small venues for more than 650 days. Months before the virus emerged, China had been tightening its grip on Hong Kong in response to pro-democracy protests that had spread throughout the city.

Persons: Hong Kong, Boy George, Grace Jones, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, China’s, Deng Xiaoping, China –, Deng, Deng’s, –, Noemi Cassanelli, Hong, John Lee, “, ”, Gary Ng, Covid, Benson Wong, Wong, Lan Kwai Fong, Cassanelli, Hong Kongers, Kongers, Ng, Yan Wai, ” Yan, hasn’t, Billy H.C, Kwok, Richard Feldman, Feldman, Becky Lam, ” Lam, “ They’ll, ” Feldman, Kwai Fong, Marco Chan, Chan, ” Allan Zeman, Allan Zeman, Lan, CNN “ They’ll, they’ll, Lam, Hong Kong’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, East, West, Britain, Occupy Central, National Security, Michelin, CNN, Hong, Tai Hang, National, Hong Kong Wine, HKSAR, Immigration Department, Chinese University of Hong, Soho Association, Netflix, “, Lan Kwai Fong Group, Hong Kong, Shady Locations: China, Hong Kong, Asia, Hong, Soho, Japan, Singapore, Tai, Thailand, Lan Kwai, expats, Britain, Canada, Australia, Natixis, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Lan, revelers, California, Central, Shenzhen, Hong Kong’s Central, Bangkok, Shanghai, Taipei, Petticoat

☆ Indian travelers are set to be the fourth largest global spenders by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Indians could be the fourth-largest global travel spenders by 2030, according to a recent report by Booking.com and McKinsey. However, they pointed out that outbound travel only accounted for approximately 1% of total trips made by Indians last year. Based on the report's expectations there will be 5 billion trips made in 2030, 1% of outbound travel will come up to 50 million trips. According to their 2019 research, the U.S., China and Germany were the top three global travel spenders, while India came in sixth. Indian travelers are expected to embark on 5 billion more trips by 2030, and spending on travel and tourism is predicted to hit $410 billion by then.

Persons: That's Organizations: Booking.com, McKinsey Locations: India, U.S, China, Germany

“I have been consistently surprised at the resilience of consumer spending,” Christopher Waller, an influential member of the Fed’s board, said in a speech this month. “The acceleration of consumer spending on experiences (has) propelled us towards another outstanding quarter,” said CEO Jason Liberty. Wealthier households, in particular, have enjoyed substantial growth in home values and stock portfolios, which are likely juicing their spending. Spending on the bank's credit and debit cards by households with incomes below $50,000 has risen faster than spending by higher-earning clients. “Consumer spending across all segments from high to low has remained stable since March."

Persons: —, they've, ” Christopher Waller, ”, Jason Liberty, “, Tim Duy, they're, Julia Pollak, Sarah Wolfe, Morgan Stanley, Small, Bret Csencsitz, Aditya Bhave, Valerie Zaffina, Zaffina, Bhave, Biden, Christopher Suh, ___ Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, Federal Reserve, Royal Caribbean Group, Travelers, ZipRecruiter, Fed, Gotham, Bank of America, Visa Locations: U.S, New York City, COVID, Ramsey , New Jersey, I’m, Washington, New York

☆ Boomers are dominating the economy and benefiting from historic rate hikes. BofA explains which stock trades to make as Millennials struggle.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Aruni Soni | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The way Boomers and Millennials are spending can inform investment decisions, Bank of America analysts say. In a note published Friday, BofA analysts wrote that investors should go "long Boomer stocks" and "short Millennial stocks." Specifically, they're spending a lot on health care, entertainment, and home improvement. When they are shelling out, they're spending more on housing and apparel, but are generally more strapped for cash. Millennials, meanwhile, are skint as borrowing costs shoot up and wealth accumulation gets stymied by a historically unaffordable housing market.

Persons: —, BofA, they're, Millennials, Boomer Organizations: Bank of America, Boomers, Service, of America, AARP, Toll

☆ Linda Yaccarino follows up her car-crash interview by pretending everything's just fine at X
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In a Thursday blog post, CEO Linda Yaccarino ignored all the chaos and said X's "future is bright." User numbers are reportedly down, regulators are probing the platform over disinformation, and competitors have popped up around every corner. AdvertisementAdvertisementX's CEO Linda Yaccarino also made headlines in September after giving a car-crash interview, where she seemed not to have a grasp on precise user numbers and couldn't answer questions about a paywall. Yaccarino also flagged the platform's user numbers as a point of success, pointing to new signups and time spent on the platform as potential indicators. Representatives for X and Yaccarino did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: It's, Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino, —, Yaccarino, X Organizations: Elon, Twitter, Service, Ebiquity, Wall Street

☆ What to Watch For in Thursday’s GDP Report: How High Did Consumers Push Economic Growth?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Amara Omeokwe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Tickets to movies helped drive strong consumer spending over the summer. Photo: Valerie Macon/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesU.S. economic growth accelerated sharply during the third quarter, forecasters estimate, as Americans increased spending and shook off fears of a slowdown. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal estimate gross domestic product grew at a seasonally- and inflation-adjusted 4.7% annual rate in the third quarter—more than double the second quarter’s 2.1% pace. The Commerce Department is set to release its initial estimate of third-quarter gross domestic product at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time Thursday. In April, economists expected the economy would contract slightly over the summer months.

Persons: Valerie Macon Organizations: Agence France, Getty, Wall, Commerce Department Locations: Ukraine

☆ Most of the world's biggest advertisers have stopped buying ads on Elon Musk's X, exclusive new data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An overwhelming majority of the world's biggest-spending advertisers have stopped advertising on X following Elon Musk's acquisition of the company, according to new data provided exclusively to Insider by the marketing consultancy Ebiquity. The number of Ebiquity clients advertising on X has steadily declined ever since, the data shows. The company drew its X data from its digital media solutions unit, through which it gathers digital media investment data from agencies and platforms. In the same interview she cited Visa, Nissan, and AT&T as among the "1,500" brands that had resumed spending on X. "We would welcome an official follow-up with supporting data in a time where trust and transparency are of critical importance," said Schreurs.

Persons: Ruben Schreurs, Ebiquity Ebiquity, Linda Yaccarino, Ebiquity's Schreurs, Schreurs Organizations: Elon, Twitter, Google, Walmart, Vodafone, General Motors, Ebiquity, Nissan, Amazon, Unilever, Coca, IBM, Bloomberg, Media, Visa

☆ Delta Air Lines Makes Changes to Its SkyMiles Loyalty Program—Again
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Alison Sider | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In response to complaints from fliers, Delta is looking to make it less expensive to earn certain perks. Photo: David Zalubowski/Associated PressDelta Air Lines is making changes to its frequent flier program after it faced sharp backlash to changes it announced last month. The airline isn’t fully undoing the overhaul of its SkyMiles program, which it rejiggered to reward the biggest spenders, not the most-frequent fliers.

Persons: David Zalubowski Organizations: Associated Press Delta Air Lines

The objections focused on the difficulty of achieving elite status and new restrictions on entering airport lounges. In simplifying the path to status, Delta sharply raised spending requirements for each SkyMiles level. The September proposal created a backlash among Delta customers on social media, with some threatening to switch to other airlines. JetBlue and Alaska Airlines tried to poach Delta's best customers by offering to match elite status for anyone leaving the Delta loyalty program. Southwest Airlines announced that next year it will make it easier to qualify for the top levels of its frequent-flyer program.

Persons: Ed Bastian, “, what’s, Delta, ” Bastian, poach, Henry Harteveldt, ”, Bastian, Delta “ Organizations: Delta Air Lines, Delta, Diamond, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Flyers, Atmosphere Research, American Express Locations: Atlanta

Passengers check in for United Airlines flights at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on Dec. 13, 2022. United Airlines will change its boarding order next week by letting economy-class passengers who have selected window seats to board before those with middle and aisle seats. The company said the change could shave two minutes off the boarding process. Airlines regularly tinker with boarding procedures to save precious time getting passengers onto planes, generally rewarding their biggest spenders with some of the earliest boarding. The new boarding process will be implemented on all domestic flights and some international flights.

Persons: United Organizations: United Airlines, O'Hare International, CNBC, United, Airlines, tinker Locations: Chicago

☆ As the holidays approach, shoppers are in a mood to spend – on their homes and themselves
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Spending on the holiday season is expected to rebound to – and even surpass – pre-pandemic levels this year for the first time. The year-end months of November and December typically are dominated by shoppers scouring stores for deals and discounts on seasonal merchandise, including gifts. “As many as 82% of shoppers said they plan to spend on non-gift purchases such as decorations. While gift spending is still expected to grow 9% over last year, the report said people plan to buy one fewer gift versus last year. “In terms of the allocation of holiday dollars, the biggest increase that we saw is in the non-gift group,” said Skelly.

Persons: –, it’s, Skelly, It’s, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Deloitte, Retail Survey, CNN Locations: New York

☆ Gen Z is shopping less and eating at home more as the woes of inflation set in, BofA survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Gen Z is cutting back on their spending for the next year, a study reveals. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . About 53% of Gen Z cite a high cost of living as a barrier to their financial success. The holidays are approaching, and it's unclear if Gen Z will stick to their financial saving plans.

Persons: —, Gen, they're Organizations: Service, Bank of America, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, of America

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