For: May 14, 2025
>>Ahead Of The Bell
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street following a mixed day of trading. That was after the latest CPI report showed inflation eased slightly in April. Nvidia jumped back into the three-trillion-dollar cap club after the company announced it will sell its latest artificial intelligence chips to Saudi Arabia. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 269 points to 42-140. The S&P 500 rose 42 points to 58-886. The Nasdaq gained 301 points to 19-010.
>>UnitedHealth Group CEO Steps Down
(Minnetonka, MN) -- There's a change in leadership at UnitedHealth Group, the nation's largest insurer. The company announced on Tuesday that Andrew Witty is stepping down as CEO for "personal reasons." Witty had been with UnitedHealth Group since 2018 and had served as CEO for a little over four years. Former CEO Stephen J. Hemsley was appointed to replace Witty "effective immediately." Hemsley, who will continue to serve as chair of UnitedHealth Group's Board of Directors, was CEO from 2006 to 2017. Witty will remain with United as a "senior adviser."
>>Spirit Airlines New Premium Offerings For Flyers
(Dania Beach, FL) -- Spirit Airlines is announcing a new premium option for its travelers. The option will include extra legroom seating and two free checked bags for its cardholders. According to the airline, the new seating will begin being installed in June and roll out across the majority of Spirit's fleet by July while the two free checked bags policy will roll out later this year. Spirit's embrace of premium options reflects a larger trend in the airline industry, and it comes after the airline exited bankruptcy in March.
>>SpaceX Wants To Increase Rocket Launches
(Cape Canaveral, FL) -- SpaceX wants to increase rocket launches from Cape Canaveral. The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing a proposal to increase launches from 50 to 120 annually. Some groups have raised concerns about noise and impacts on airspace and ocean travel. The comment period remains open until Thursday. The latest SpaceX news comes amid reporting on another of Elon Musk's companies. Multiple reports indicate his tunneling firm, The Boring Company, is in talks with federal railroad regulators over a possible multi-billion dollar contract for an Amtrak project in the Northeast.
>>Microsoft To Cut 3% Of Its Workforce
(Redmond, WA) -- Microsoft is cutting three percent of its workforce. The maker of Windows and Word said today the layoffs will affect employees across all levels of the company. A Microsoft spokesman told CNBC the organizational changes are necessary for success in a dynamic marketplace. Microsoft had about 228-thousand employees as of last June.
>>Nissan To Lay Off 11k, Close 7 Plants
(Yokohama) -- Nissan is laying off eleven-thousand people. The Japanese automaker announced Tuesday that it's closing seven of its production plants around the world, and reducing its workforce by 15 percent. The layoffs come after Nissan saw its operating profits decline 88-percent from the previous year. The company hasn't said which plants will be closed, or where the job cuts will be made. Nissan employs over 130-thousand people worldwide, including about 20-thousand in the U.S.
>>ESPN Streaming Service Reveals Cost
(New York, NY) -- ESPN's new standalone streaming app will cost sports fans about 30-dollars a month. The new service from the sports cable network is set to launch this fall. It'll include all of the network's programming as well as other ESPN channels including ESPN2, the SEC Network and ESPN on ABC. A bundle that includes ad-supported tiers of Disney-Plus and Hulu will cost 36-bucks per month. The service differs from ESPN's current streaming platform, ESPN-Plus.
