Business

Hershey shares surged as much as 15% in Monday trading following a Bloomberg report suggesting Mondelez may attempt another takeover of the iconic chocolate company. This marks a notable development in ongoing speculation about Hershey's future as an independent entity, with its shares now on track for their best day since mid-2016. Prior to this rally, Hershey's stock had faced a turbulent year, with its value falling about 6% on concerns over rising cocoa prices and the growing use of GLP-1 drugs, which according to some analysts they could suppress the demand for confectionery products. With Monday's boost, Hershey's shares have gained 7% year to date, boosting its market capitalization to $40.49 billion. Meanwhile, Mondelez, the snacks giant behind brands such as Oreo, Cadbur...

A wave of optimism about personal finances has spread among Americans following Donald Trump's victory in November's presidential election, according to a survey released Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The data reveals a significant increase in confidence, with families feeling more positive about their financial future than in recent years. The survey, which involved around 1,300 heads of families, revealed that 37.6% of those interviewed expect their financial situation to improve within the next year. This represents an increase of nearly 8 percentage points compared to October and marks the highest level of financial optimism recorded since February 2020, shortly before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the number of households expecting t...

In an effort to address expected challenges to U.S.-China relations under President-elect Donald Trump, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng recently met with several top U.S. financial executives. These meetings come as Beijing prepares for the possible imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods, a key part of Trump's campaign rhetoric. He Lifeng, one of China's four vice premiers and a leading figure in the country's economic and financial policy, has actively sought to establish connections with influential players in American financial circles. In the past month, he had talks with Larry Fink, chief executive of BlackRock, on December 5, and John E. Waldron, chairman of Goldman Sachs, on December 4. These meetings followed an earlier engagement with Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser on November...

Embarking on the path to starting a family is both exhilarating and challenging. For those couples requiring assistance, navigating through one of the pivotal stages—selecting a surrogate—can be particularly daunting.Selecting the perfect individual to bear your child requires meticulous attention to elements like her physical well-being, emotional resilience, and aligned values.Within this article, you will find key advice and valuable insights for choosing the perfect surrogate to help create your family in Mexico.The vital significance of the surrogate in the surrogacy processA surrogate is a generous woman who bears a child for someone else without any genetic connections. This intricate process demands ongoing medical oversight and transparent dialogue, collaborating with everyone inv...

Embarking on the journey of starting a family is both thrilling and demanding. For partners requiring assistance, the task can become daunting when confronted with one of the most pivotal choices: selecting a surrogate.Selecting an individual to carry your child necessitates thoughtful evaluation of various elements, including her physical well-being, emotional fortitude, and aligned values.Within this article, you can find invaluable guidance and perspectives on how to choose the perfect surrogate to build your family in Georgia.The crucial role of the surrogate in surrogacyA surrogate is a selfless woman who carries a child for another person or couple, with no genetic ties. It's a complex journey that requires constant medical supervision and open communication, working together with a...

Embarking on the path to family life can be both thrilling and demanding. For couples seeking assistance, navigating one of the pivotal stages—the selection of a designated surrogate carrier—can feel daunting.Deciding on an individual to bear your child requires thoughtful evaluation of various aspects, including her health, emotional resilience, and alignment of values.In this article, you may discover essential tips and insights for the selection of the right surrogate to form your family in Russia.The crucial role of the surrogate in surrogacyA gestational carrier is a generous woman who bears a child for another individual or couple, without any genetic connection. This intricate journey demands ongoing medical monitoring and transparent communication, collaborating with everyone invo...

Alaska Airlines is targeting significant growth, with a goal of increasing profits by $1 billion by 2027. The airline is banking on growing demand for premium travel and its recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines to achieve this ambitious goal. The $1.9 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airlines, finalized in September, opened up new opportunities for Alaska Airlines, granting it access to cross-Pacific routes and wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330. Although both Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines continue to operate as separate brands, the acquisition positioned Alaska for a major expansion of its international network. Starting in May 2025, Alaska Airlines will launch direct flights from its main hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Tokyo's Nar...

Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, faces a crucial moment as the central bank prepares for its next policy meeting. The latest jobs report all but solidified expectations of an interest rate cut later this month, with market indicators assigning a nearly 90% chance to such a move. However, whether the Fed should proceed with the cut and how it will manage monetary policy afterward remain open questions, sparking heated debate among economists and politicians. November's jobs data presented a balanced picture, neither overly strong nor overly weak, giving the Fed the flexibility to justify a rate cut. Nonfarm employment increased by 227,000, a significant improvement from the 36,000 jobs affected by the October hurricane and strike. That's about 131,500 new jobs on avera...

China's recent push to spur economic growth has shown modest progress, but the broader impact remains limited. Earnings and corporate data suggest that a robust recovery in the world's second-largest economy may still be a long way off. Since September, Beijing has introduced a series of stimulus measures aimed at boosting key sectors such as real estate and manufacturing. While there have been signs of improvement, many companies have maintained a cautious outlook. This sentiment was evident during Meituan's earnings call last week, when executives noted only a slight improvement in their hotel booking business. “We are confident that these policies will gradually strengthen the real economy and incentivize consumer spending, creating more growth opportunities,” said Shaohui Che...

JetBlue Airways is making significant changes to its flight operations as part of a strategy to streamline costs and increase profitability. The airline told staff on Wednesday that it will cut several unprofitable routes, redeploy planes equipped with its premium Mint business class and streamline its services in Europe. One of the most notable changes is the decision to stop using Mint-class planes on routes to Seattle starting in April. Additionally, the airline will cease flights from Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville, from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to cities such as Austin, Houston, Miami and Milwaukee, as well as between Westchester County and Milwaukee. JetBlue is also ending its service to San Jose, California. This reshuffle brings challenges, ...