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☆ Labor Day isn’t the holiday it once was for China’s workers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Chris Lau | Hassan Tayir | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong CNN —Like hundreds of millions of workers in China, Hao Zeyu, an algorithm engineer at an electric vehicle maker, is getting five days off this week for the Labor Day holiday. So, why has a decades-old policy caused so much upset in a country whose Communist Party leadership pays annual homage to International Workers’ Day? Trending topicIn recent weeks, complaints about this year’s Labor Day leave arrangements have exploded on Chinese social media. Tourists visit the Qiansimen Jialing River Bridge during the May Day holiday on May 1, 2023 in Chongqing, China. Labor Day isn’t the only holiday to get the adjusted rest policy.

Persons: Hao Zeyu, Hao, “, ” Hao, ”, Yao, Max Teng, it’s, Yaer Tuerdi, Pang Dong Lai, Yu Donglai, Yu, Teng Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Labor, CNN, Communist Party, International Workers, Workers, Weibo, Tourists, China News Service, University of Wellington, “ Workers Locations: China, Hong Kong, Chongqing, United States, United Kingdom, Kentucky, Henan

Eli Lilly — Shares added 5% after Eli Lilly, maker of the Mounjaro diabetes and weight loss drug, beat analysts' expectations for first-quarter adjusted earnings. PayPal — Shares gained 3.6% after the payment company posted $7.70 billion in first-quarter revenue, beating analysts' estimates for $7.51 billion, according to LSEG. The chipmaker posted adjusted earnings of $3.24 per share, higher than the consensus estimate of $3.16 per share, according to LSEG. Earnings of 24 cents per share on $1.37 billion in revenue exceeded consensus forecasts of 11 cents and $1.36 billion, according to FactSet. Adjusted earnings of 71 cents per share topped anticipated earnings of 65 cents per share.

Persons: Eli Lilly —, Eli Lilly, drugmaker, Jefferies, Tesla, Goldman Sachs, Tenet, Corning, FactSet, Sysco, Medifast, Paccar, Bob Bakish, Skydance, Needham, Macheel, Michelle Fox, Yun Li, Lisa Kailai Han, Pia Singh, Sarah Min Organizations: PayPal —, PayPal, Semiconductor, Tenet, FactSet, Technology, GE Healthcare Technologies, LSEG, Taco Bell, KFC, Paramount Global, CBS, Paramount Locations: Indianapolis, China, LSEG, FactSet, Houston

☆ The Fed will be the main event in the week ahead that includes a jobs report, more tech earnings
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

On top of that, the latest U.S. jobs market scorecard will be released along with more mega-cap earnings. This week, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield briefly climbed above 4.7% for the first time since November. That's down sharply from the six or seven rate cuts investors were anticipating coming into the year. April jobs Investors will also get an update on the labor picture next week, with the release of the April nonfarm payrolls report set for Friday. Corporate earnings season will also ramp up in the week ahead with a slew of consumer-facing companies set to report.

Persons: Stocks, Powell, David Alcaly, Jerome Powell's, we've, they're, Brian Nick, Matt Stucky, it's, Stucky, Dow Jones, Nick, Archer, Eli Lilly, Kraft, Estee, Ingersoll Rand, Stanley Black, Decker, Hershey Organizations: Nasdaq, Google, Microsoft, Treasury, Lazard Asset Management, Macro, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, Fed, Apple, Micro Computer, Dallas Fed, Paramount, ON Semiconductor, Chicago PMI, Prudential Financial, Devices, Storage, Diamondback Energy, Caesars Entertainment, Corning, Daniels, Midland, Molson Coors Beverage, Marathon Petroleum, GE Healthcare Technologies, PayPal, ADP, P Global, Manufacturing, Oil, MGM Resorts International, Allstate, Etsy, eBay, Qualcomm, MetLife, First, Devon Energy, Cruise Line Holdings, Brands, Marriott International, Kraft Heinz, Pfizer, Companies, CVS Health, Generac, Mastercard, Labor, Nation Entertainment, Booking Holdings, Natural Resources, Motorola Solutions, Expedia, EOG, Coterra Energy, Dominion Energy, Howmet Aerospace, ConocoPhillips, Moderna, PMI, Services PMI Locations: U.S, Chicago, McDonald's, Albemarle, EOG Resources

☆ Young Chinese are trading Shanghai for small cities. Brands like KFC are following them with thousands of stores.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . They're struggling to make it in big cities as the world's second-largest economy suffers from a flailing property market and slow post-pandemic consumption recovery. Going big on smaller citiesChina's smaller cities aren't exactly an untapped market. KFC and Pizza Hut operator Yum China, which plans to add 6,000 stores in China by 2026, is also betting big on small cities. AdvertisementThe cost of living crisis driving young people out of China's big cities is a trend that echoes across continents.

Persons: —, MetroDataTech, They're, Joey Wat, DPC, Canyandata Organizations: Migrants, Service, KFC, Bloomberg, Starbucks, Yum Locations: megacities, Shanghai, Shenzhen, MetroDataTech, China, Beijing, —, Yum China, Local, Fuzhou, Korea, New York City, London

☆ Jim Cramer shares his thoughts on Tesla, Cisco Systems, Verizon, Prologis and Papa John's
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla : Shares fell more than 4% after the electric vehicle maker issued another round of price cuts in major markets including the U.S., Germany and China. I think you have to wait to see what they say rather than make a judgement," Jim Cramer said. Cisco Systems : JPMorgan analysts resumed coverage of Cisco Systems with a neutral rating and $53 price target, citing a muted medium-term earnings growth outlook. Verizon : Shares fell nearly 3% after the telecommunications giant delivered an earnings beat and lost fewer-than-expected wireless subscribers in the three months ended March 31. Papa John's : Shares rose about 1.5% after analysts at Stifel upgraded the pizza chain to hold from sell, contending expectations are reasonable.

Persons: Jim Cramer's, Tesla, Jim Cramer, Chuck Robbins, Cramer, John's, Papa Organizations: CNBC, Club, Cisco Systems, JPMorgan, Verizon, BMO Capital Markets, Seattle, Stifel Locations: U.S, Germany, China, New Jersey, Papa John's

☆ These 10 retail brands are the fastest growing in the U.S., Yelp says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Chains owned by publicly traded restaurant companies accounted for half of the top 10 fastest-growing retail brands in the U.S. last year, according to a new Yelp report. Of the 50 fastest-growing chains in Yelp's report, 35 were restaurant brands. Jack in the Box, First Watch and Dutch Bros were among the public restaurant chains included in the report, but they didn't crack the top 10. Popeyes' higher sales have encouraged franchisees to open more locations and led new operators to join the brand, Restaurant Brands executives have previously said. In 2023, Popeyes surpassed KFC as the second-most popular chicken chain in the U.S. by sales, trailing only Chick-fil-A.

Persons: Jack, Levi Strauss, Cava CAVA, Cava, Zachary Lucy, Scott Olson, Darden, Yum, Stephanie Dhue, Tim Hortons, Burger King, Randy Risling, Popeyes, Michael Siluk, Freddy's, Kyle Rivas, It's, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Dutch Bros, Publicly, Nordstrom, Costco, New York Stock Exchange, Pacific Coast League, Omaha Storm, Memphis Redbirds, AP, LongHorn, Getty, Darden, steakhouse, Parent, Yum Brands, Taco Bell, KFC, East, CNBC, Wawa, Toronto Star, Brands, Restaurant Brands, UCG, Thompson, Capital Partners, Rally House, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Subs Locations: U.S, Cava, Werner, Omaha , Nebraska, Nebraska, Skokie , Illinois, California, West, Wawa, Bethany Beach , Delaware, Philadelphia, It's, Louisiana, Lansing , Kansas, Kansas City , Missouri, Midwest, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Olive, Lincolnwood , Illinois, Jersey, Petaluma , California

☆ These stocks offer growth at a reasonable price as the second quarter kicks off
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The S & P 500 jumped 10.2% in the first quarter, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite gained 5.6% and 9.1% each, respectively. With this in mind, CNBC Pro screened for stocks that can give investors "growth at a reasonable price," or GARP. The screener showed that GARP opportunities exist in a diverse array of sectors across the S & P 500. RCL LVS,.SPX YTD mountain Royal Caribbean and Las Vegas Sands versus the S & P 500 in 2024 Restaurant chain Yum! The stock is lagging the S & P 500 in 2024, rising 6.8% compared to the broader market's 8.8% increase.

Persons: RCL LVS, Cardinal Health's Organizations: CNBC Pro, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Sands, Royal, Las Vegas, Vegas Sands, Brands, Taco, Cigna, Cardinal Health Locations: That's, Caribbean, Royal Caribbean, Las, Taco Bell

☆ Fast-food chains like Burger King, Shake Shack, and KFC are doubling down on digital order kiosks — but watch out, you'll probably end up spending more
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Fast-food giants are rapidly deploying more order kiosks in the US. AdvertisementMajor US fast-food chains plan to aggressively add more digital order kiosks to their restaurants – and bring in bigger checks in the process. They make up "well over" half of its in-restaurant orders at these locations, CFO Katie Fogertey told investors in November. As well as labor savings, kiosk orders "tend to skew to dine-in" and thus use less packaging than other digital orders, she said. In the US, digital orders currently make up just 15% of Burger King's sales.

Persons: Patrick Doyle, —, Burger, Josh Kobza, Shack, Katie Fogertey, Chris Turner, Turner, Sharon Zackfia, William Blair, Fogertey, Grace Dean, Randy Garutti, cashiers, Fogerty, Andy Barish, Jon Tower, Kobza, Zackfia, Barish, Popeyes, Tim Hortons Organizations: Service, Restaurant Brands, Brands, Taco Bell, KFC, Business, Jefferies, Citi, Burger, Firehouse, North Star Locations: Taco, China, London, millennials

☆ U.S. consumer plays in China are more than coffee and iPhones. Stocks to watch
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Domino's Pizza's China operator DPC Dash reported Wednesday its 26th straight quarter of same-store sales growth — including the pandemic period. Pizza push Domino's has a roughly 14% stake in DPC Dash, which listed in Hong Kong about a year ago. Woo has a buy rating on DPC Dash and a price target of 73.05 Hong Kong dollars. "Chinese people do eat pizza," DPC Dash CEO Wang said. Yum China, which owns Pizza Hut in China among other brands, is set to release earnings in late April.

Persons: DPC Dash, they've, Xi Jinping, Papa John's, Papa, DPC, Aileen Wang, Wang, Walter Woo, Woo, McDonald's, That's, Christopher J, Kempczinski Organizations: Starbucks, Apple, HSBC, U.S, DPC, Advertising, Hong, Hong Kong Stock Exchange Locations: China, Shanghai, U.S, DPC, Hong Kong, North America, Beijing, Xi'an, Changsha, FY24E, Thurs

☆ Frankenstein restaurants like a Taco Bell-Pizza Hut combo are popping up everywhere
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementIn 2008, Hip Hop trio Das Racist caught the attention of the internet with their song "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell." Its most recent dual-branded restaurant opening was in Leon, Mexico, and the company is contemplating opening more in the US, CEO John Peyton said. The 2002 annual report for Yum Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC, among other restaurant chains, lays out why the much-memed combination Taco Bell-Pizza Hut existed in the first place. In the past, some restaurant brands have put together brands that don't complement each other, said Rob Seely, associate vice president of operations, strategy, and design at WD Partners, which advises restaurant brands. Do you work at a major restaurant like McDonald's, Pizza Hut, or Taco Bell and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, Bell, It's, John Peyton, Dine, Payton, Peyton, Das, Taco Bell, David Novak, Novak, Yum, Frankenrestaurants, hasn't, Long John Silver, John Silver, Long John Silver's, Rob Seely, Seely, Taco Organizations: Service, Dine Brands, Yum Brands, KFC, Bell, Brands, Darden, Business, WD Partners, Taco Bell Locations: Leon , Mexico, Applebee's, IHOP, Pizza, Taco, Kentucky

☆ Frankenstein restaurants are popping up everywhere, but they aren't actually that successful
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementIn 2008, Hip Hop trio Das Racist caught the attention of the internet with their song "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell." Its most recent dual-branded restaurant opening was in Leon, Mexico, and the company is contemplating opening more in the US, CEO John Peyton said. Related storiesSo Yum turned to Frankenrestaurants — like the combination Pizza Hut-Taco Bell — to offer a wider variety of options under one roof. Major restaurant brands also frequently change ownership, making it hard to decouple multi-branded locations if a company decides to sell one. In the past, some restaurant brands have put together brands that don't complement each other, said Rob Seely, associate vice president of operations, strategy, and design at WD Partners, which advises restaurant brands.

☆ For those without college degrees, more paths are opening to better-paying jobs
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —For decades, not having a college degree has often been a barrier for workers seeking a higher-level, better-paying job. That means the lack of college degrees can’t be ignored, since Blacks and Hispanics are least likely to have a bachelor’s degree. “[D]espite the limited progress to date, our analysis shows that, for those who embrace it, skills-based hiring … yields tangible, measurable value. Skills-based hiring boosts retention among non-degreed workers hired into roles that formerly asked for degrees,” they said. The tool is aimed at lower-wage workers without college degrees.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ken Frazier, ”, George Floyd’s, Frazier, Debbie Dyson, Keith Wardrip Organizations: New, New York CNN, Census Bureau, ”, Merck, Blacks, MIT, Accenture, Yum ! Brands, Harvard Business School, Glass Institute, Directionally, Federal, Occupational Mobility, Philadelphia Fed, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Locations: New York, America, workforces, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati

☆ These 3 restaurant stocks are breaking out, according to the charts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Frank Cappelleri | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

This prompted us to investigate the group further, which revealed that various stocks are sporting constructive technical formations. Restaurant stocks charts showing strength McDonalds (MCD) has had a wild ride over the last 10 months and now sits at the same price level that it was trading at last April — eleven months ago. MCD isn't the only restaurant stock that's sporting an attractive technical pattern. On the weekly chart, Restaurant Brands International (QSR) looks very similar to MCD, having formed its own inverse-head-and-shoulders formation over the last year. While this is no indication of what could happen now to MCD, YUM and QSR, it shows how breaking through multi-year resistance can attract momentum.

Persons: that's, —, Frank Cappelleri Organizations: Brands, Texas

☆ Starbucks is laying off thousands of workers in the Middle East in response to Gaza boycotts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Starbucks’ Middle East franchisee, Alshaya Group, is cutting thousands of jobs at its coffee shops because of a “challenging” work environment as the chain grapples with boycotts over the brand relating to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Kuwait-based Alshaya has owned rights to operate Starbucks in the Middle East for more than 25 years and operates around 1,300 locations across the region, employing about 11,000 people. Starbucks’ most recent earnings report missed expectations, partially because of weaker sales in the region. Starbucks isn’t alone: McDonald’s said last month that it’s experiencing “meaningful business impact” in the Middle East because of the war. Brands, which owns KFC and Pizza Hut, said its chains’ “sales were impacted by the conflict in the Middle East region with varying degrees of impact,” which dented same-store sales growth in several countries.

Persons: Alshaya, “, ”, McDonald’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Starbucks, East, Alshaya, CNN, Reuters, Alshaya Group, Brands Locations: New York, Gaza, East, Northern Africa, Kuwait, Western

☆ Yum China CEO says consumers are growing more 'rational' as rising costs cut dining budgets
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

While economists and investors fret over China's low consumer confidence and sluggish growth, Yum China CEO Joey Wat says the Chinese consumer is growing more rational — and has been for years. Weighed down by investors' concern about the broader Chinese economy, shares of Yum China have fallen 27% over the past year, dragging its market value down to $17.51 billion. Despite Wall Street's worries, Yum China's sales are growing. "I think the Chinese consumer has become more rational over the last few years," she told CNBC. But in lower-tier cities, such as Chengdu, Yum China is seeing stronger sales growth because housing is cheaper and consumers have more cash to spend.

Persons: Joey Wat, Wall, Yum, Wat Organizations: Yum, Yum Brands, CNBC Locations: China, Yum China, Shanghai, Beijing, Wat, Chengdu, Cities

☆ Premarket stocks: Revolution or market bubble? Investors weigh the AI boom
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —What’s the difference between a revolution and a market bubble? Thanks to strong performances in stocks and bonds in 2023, coupled with steady savings rates and employer-provided matching contributions, 401(k) investors ended 2023 very much in the black, reports my colleague Jeanne Sahadi. That’s according to new fourth-quarter data from Fidelity Investments, one of the largest providers of workplace retirement plans that cover 23 million 401(k) participants. The troubled plant-based meat company, which has partnerships with McDonald’s and KFC owner Yum! On a Tuesday call with Beyond Meat’s investors, Brown outlined a set of initiatives intended to rightsize the struggling company.

Persons: New York CNN —, ’, Jamie Dimon, Dimon, ”, Torsten Slok, Yung, Yu Ma, “, Jeanne Sahadi, Gen Xers, Fidelity, Samantha Delouya, Ethan Brown, Brown Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nvidia, AMD, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, JPMorgan, CNBC, Apollo Global Management, Federal Reserve, BMO Wealth Management, Big, Norges Bank Investment Management, Legal, General, AFL, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Lawyers, SEC, Fidelity, Fidelity Investments, McDonald’s, KFC, Brands Locations: New York, California, “

☆ Beyond Meat shares soar 80% as company tops quarterly revenue estimates, plans 'steep' cost cuts in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

To counter weak demand in the United States, Beyond Meat, which supplies its plant-based meat patties to fast food chains such as McDonald's and Yum! The company has also been able to sustain demand for plant-based meat in its international markets, particularly Europe. Cost-cut measures, including job cuts taken last year, have also helped reduce the burden on margins from sluggish demand in the United States. Net revenue for the fourth quarter fell 7.8% to $73.7 million, but topped analysts' average estimate of $66.7 million, as per LSEG data. Still, the company's full-year net revenue forecast in the range of $315 million to $345 million was largely below market expectations of $343.8 million.

Persons: Ethan Brown Organizations: Brands Locations: Miami , Florida, United States, U.S, Europe

☆ Beyond Meat’s stock surges after CEO promises to steeply cut costs in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The troubled plant-based meat company, which has partnerships with McDonald’s and KFC owner Yum! “Our 2024 plan includes taking steps to steeply reduce operating expense and cash use,” Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said in a statement. On a Tuesday call with Beyond Meat’s investors, Brown outlined a set of initiatives intended to rightsize the struggling company. Brown said the company would cut at least $70 million from Beyond Meat’s operating budget in 2024. The company also reported its full-year 2023 financial results Tuesday, reporting a net loss of $338.1 million for the year.

Persons: Ethan Brown, Brown Organizations: CNN, McDonald’s, KFC, Brands

☆ Labor coalition accuses Starbucks of 'flawed' union strategy, risking shareholder value
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Kate Rogers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The coalition is pushing to replace three current Starbucks board members with its own nominees. The SOC proxy presentation claims the company's board has backed what it calls an "unnecessarily confrontational" strategy with the union. Starbucks said it has not only a new CEO, but with these additions, it has added five new board members in the past year. The proxy presentation targets three current Starbucks board members: Ritch Allison, Andy Campion and Jørgen Vig Knudstorp. Allison, Campion and Knudstorp, specifically, provide "continuity and highly-valuable unique perspectives," the Starbucks presentation said.

Persons: Baristas, Nielsen, Maria Echaveste, Joshua Gotbaum, Wilma Liebman, Daniel Servitje, Neal Mohan, Mike Sievert, Ritch Allison, Andy Campion, Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, Allison, Campion, Knudstorp, Wendy's, Narasimhan Organizations: Starbucks, CNBC, Organizing Center, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, Starbucks Corporation, Siren Retail, Service Employees International Union, Starbucks Workers United, Communications Workers of America, United Farm Workers of America, Chipotle, Darden, Restaurant Brands, Yum Brands, White House, Hawaiian Airlines, White, Grupo Bimbo, YouTube, Mobile, SEC Locations: Buffalo, Arlington , Virginia, China, U.S

☆ Diners are getting annoyed at how expensive fast food has become — and the likes of McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Shake Shack seem to be listening
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementChains like McDonald's, Shake Shack, and Taco Bell say they're only planning small price increases in 2024 as inflation cools. But in the year to January 2024, prices at limited-service restaurants rose just 5.8%, per BLS data. Martin Jennings, a 51-year-old truck driver from Florida, told Business Insider that his family was being deterred by higher prices at fast-food chains. Customers are looking for app deals and choosing value menusCustomers are looking for ways to get cheaper meals at fast-food chains. Chipotle said it's eyeing a price increase in the mid-single digits, depending on consumer sentiment and actions taken by other fast-food chains.

Persons: —, Taco Bell, Martin Jennings, Ben Heyworth, Burger King, McDonald's, Ian Borden, Jennings, David Gibbs, Kempczinski, Gunther Plosch, Chipotle, it's, Katie Fogertey Organizations: Service, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Shack, Taco, Brands Locations: Florida, Orlando, Burger, Taco Bell, California, America

☆ Sundheim's D1 hedge fund shook up its tech exposure, including selling the hottest stock right now
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Daniel Sundheim's D1 Capital made a handful of notable changes to its technology holdings in the fourth quarter, including closing out a position in a key artificial intelligence play. Sundheim also zeroed out his stake in software stock Salesforce , while trimming Microsoft and Facebook parent Meta by more than 60% and 20%, respectively. The role of large-cap tech stocks in driving up the market was so apparent that a group was dubbed the "Magnificent 7" for its outsized gains. Outside of big tech, Sundheim added to Mastercard and Philip Morris stakes. On the flip side, he dissolved stakes in a number of well-known stocks including Hilton , Las Vegas Sands , Liberty Media and Yum Brands .

Persons: Daniel Sundheim's, Sundheim, Philip Morris Organizations: Nvidia, Facebook, Meta, Viking Global, Mastercard, WWE, UFC, Lexeo Therapeutics, Hilton, Liberty Media, Yum Brands, Rivian, Electric Locations: Amazon, Vegas Sands

☆ As the Year of the Dragon begins, the pros name sectors — and stocks — to play the Chinese market
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Chinese stocks had an eventful week last week — with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index hitting a five-year low of about 2,650 points on Feb. 5, before edging up to end the week at 2,865.90. A slide in Hong Kong-listed Chinese shares on Feb. 9, however, proved that investors may still have lingering concerns on the prospects of Chinese stocks in the new year. As the festive season gets underway, Redmond Wong, market strategist at investment firm Saxo, sees several opportunities to play the market. Boom in green transformation Beyond the traditional sectors, Saxo's Wong is watching an up-and-coming area in China: energy security and a green transformation. Data from the International Energy Agency shows that the Asian giant's clean-energy sectors contributed 11.4 trillion Chinese yuan ($1.6 trillion) to the Chinese economy in 2023, up 30% year-on-year.

Persons: Redmond Wong, Saxo, I'm, Wong, Saxo's Wong, Morningstar, Zijin Organizations: CNBC Pro, Monetary Fund, Technology, Shenzhen, Baidu, Sands, Tsingtao, Morningstar, Tsingtao Brewery, International Energy Agency, Companies, Zijin Mining Locations: Shanghai, Hong Kong, China, Zhejiang, Sands China, Macao, Shandong

☆ Unilever’s sales decline in Indonesia because of anti-Israel boycotts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Unilever is the latest company to report a rough fourth quarter because of boycotts against the company over the war in the Middle East. The company, which makes Vaseline, Dove soaps, Rexona deodorant and other household staples, said that sales declined 15% in Indonesia in the last three months of last year. “In Indonesia, we saw double-digit sales decline in the fourth quarter as sales of several multinational companies were impacted by geopolitically focused consumer-facing campaigns,” said Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher in a call Thursday. Other companies made similar statements recently about boycotts in overseas countries. Brands, which owns KFC and Pizza Hut, said its chains’ “sales were impacted by the conflict in the Middle East region with varying degrees of impact,” which dented same-store sales growth in several countries.

Persons: deodorant, ”, Hein Schumacher, McDonald’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Unilever, Consumers, Brands Locations: New York, Indonesia, Western, Gaza, “

☆ Taco Bell says that low-income customers are still flocking to its restaurants even as other fast-food chains say they're struggling to hold on to them
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewTaco Bell says that it is still performing well among low-income customers even as other fast-food chains say they're struggling to keep hold of this demographic. Brands, said that the taco and burrito chain's restaurants in low-income trade areas in the US had outperformed the rest of the business. Diners shouldn't expect Taco Bell to raise menu prices as much in 2024, he said. Record numbers of Taco Bell customers ordered digitallyThough Yum! Taco Bell had more than 8,500 restaurants globally by the end of 2023.

Persons: —, Bell, David Gibbs, Gibbs, Taco, it's, McDonald's, Chris Kempczinski, Taco Bell Organizations: Service, Brands, taco, Business, Taco Bell, Bell, KFC, Taco Locations: Bell's, Taco Bell's

☆ A mega restaurant chain is on a mission to get half of China to eat KFC and Pizza Hut by 2026
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Currently serving just one-third of China's population, our ambitious goal is to extend our reach to half of the population by 2026," Yum China CEO Joey Wat said in the company's latest quarterly results report. Yum plans to fuel its growth through restaurants in China's "lower-tier cities," which host over half of the firm's stores, Wat said. That's more than twice the number of KFC restaurants in the US, which has 4,293 stores, though only half of the around 6,750 Pizza Huts in the US. Both restaurant brands also have 470 million members in China, Yum said, though it didn't say if this number accounted for any overlap. "2023 was a pivotal year for Yum China," Wat said.

Persons: —, Joey Wat, Yum, China's COVID, Wat Organizations: Service, China Holdings, Business, KFC Locations: China, China's, Cities, Shanghai, Beijing, Xiamen, Harbin

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