Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Fed's decision to lower interest rates by a half-point comes in response to labor-market weakness.</li><li>But the aggressive cut risks igniting inflation, a Richard Bernstein analyst said.</li></ul>While the Federal Reserve's half-point interest-rate cut has catapulted stocks to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-todat-rate-cut-federal-reserve-jerome-powell-jobless-2024-9">record highs</a>, the decision to go big has earned mixed reviews among some economists.On the positive side, Wharton professor Jeremy Siegel called the decision the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGfnQUZ8io8">"best news" the Fed has offered in years</a>. He previously warned that a smaller 25-basis-point cut <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-interest-rate-cuts-labor-unemployment-claudia-sahm-jeremy-siegel-2024-8">risks a labor-driven recession</a>.But Michael Contopoulos, director of fixed income at Richard Bernstein Advisors, is less convinced such an aggressive move was warranted. He said the Fed "moved too fast" with its 50-point cut.Contopoulos cited that long-term bond yields have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economy-outlook-impact-of-rate-cuts-10-year-treasury-yields-2024-9">risen since the Fed's announcement</a>. This is unusual, since investors will typically snap up these assets after a rate cut. Lower borrowing costs make fixed-income less attractive the longer they wait.And yet, higher yields suggest that investors are staying out of the market. That signals expectations that inflation could rise again, caused by the Fed's overeagerness to loosen rates."Because the long-end went up, it was more of a reflection of the bond markets pricing in higher future growth and inflation — essentially saying that maybe Powell is stepping into, admittedly, a very small mistake by easing financial conditions, easing monetary policy, thereby accelerating potential long-term growth and inflation," Contopoulos <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i58_9_F0BUI">told CNBC</a>.Some on Wall Street noted that the Fed's decision to cut beyond 25 basis points was essentially a signal that the central bank is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-rate-cut-explained-inflation-labor-market-conditions-outlook-recession-2024-9">moving past inflation</a>. To Contopoulos point, this may be premature, as August's consumer price index report still stood above the 2% inflation target.University of Rochester professor Narayana Kocherlakota agreed that inflation remains sticky enough to cut rates slowly. In his view, labor data was not weak enough to justify the bigger cut — but by doing so, the Fed is now stuck with bigger rate cuts, he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkQhApdcVLM">said on CNBC</a>."I think they're going to be forced to do 50," he said, adding: "I think that markets are going to be forcing them to move faster through their expectations."

The Fed 'moved too fast' with rate cuts and now risks reigniting inflation, analyst says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Google wants everyone to know it's moving fast again.</li><li>It showed off new AI features and devices at its "Made by Google" event on Tuesday.</li></ul>When <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chat-gpt-2023-1">ChatGPT</a> first arrived, much was made of why Google wasn't the company behind it.The search giant, after all, owned the world-beating <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-deepmind">AI lab DeepMind</a>, released the research paper that laid the foundation for the large language model behind OpenAI's chatbot, and was putting its deep pockets to use for AI development. If any company was going to be the first to present generative AI in a neat, consumer-ready package, some thought it should have been Google.The company may have gotten in its own way. It had become a classic case of what business guru Clayton Christensen described in 1997 as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/takeaways-harvard-business-school-clayton-christensen-the-innovators-dilemma-disruption">"the innovator's dilemma,"</a> in which an incumbent becomes complacent and cedes ground to younger companies with fresher ideas.That said, Google has been determined to remind everyone of its ability to move fast and innovate, with the launch event for its latest <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/google-pixel-9-pro-xl-fold-release-date-price-features-specs">AI-infused Pixel devices</a> being its latest attempt to do just that.During Tuesday's "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-pixel-event-stage-looks-similar-openai-sam-altman-aesthetic-2024-8">Made by Google" event</a>, brought forward from October, the company showcased the latest capabilities of its generative AI system Gemini across a suite of next-generation hardware, including new Pixel smartphones, a smartwatch, and buds.<div type="image" title="Google project manager Sandeep Waraich announces the new Google Pixel Watch 3 during the Made By Google event on August 13, 2024." height="2786" width="4388" msid="112528985" hostid="261" sizebytes="195064"></div><h2 id="ca5090ae-2d1a-4c2b-8cf4-dbe088ba3844">Capturing imaginations</h2>One standout feature included an <a target="_blank" href="https://store.google.com/intl/en_uk/ideas/articles/pixel-add-me/">"Add Me" function</a> that allows users to add themselves to a photo they weren't originally in by taking another picture of themselves in the first photo's location and then letting AI combine the two.Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said he expects the feature to "capture consumers' imaginations," with the photography and video capabilities shown off on Tuesday among "some of the most compelling AI-powered innovations" so far.Google, of course, remains far off rivals like Apple and Samsung in the hardware space, with Pixel sales a fraction of the revenue generated by iPhone and Galaxy devices.But after former devices boss Rick Osterloh took charge of a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-shook-up-leadership-ai-era-2024-5">newly created division earlier this year</a> combining its Android and hardware teams, the company has a fresh medium through which it can demonstrate the uses and advantages of Gemini.Or put differently, Google has a chance to show that it's doing what critics said it wasn't doing back when the release of ChatGPT triggered a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-management-issues-code-red-over-chatgpt-report-2022-12">code-red warning</a> internally: it's moving fast again.What seems less certain than ever is its future destination.<h2 id="30d779e3-66e2-40bb-af7d-f83e6a7098c7">Which way, Google?</h2><div type="image" title="Google Pixel 9 devices." height="690" width="1024" msid="112528983" hostid="261" sizebytes="21196"></div>While the company is racing to innovate in AI, it is facing several challenges that cast genuine uncertainty over where it'll end up in the future.This month, a US federal judge ruled in a 286-page judgment that the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-violated-antitrust-law-to-keep-search-monopoly-judge-rules-2024-8">company was not only a monopolist but "it has acted as one," </a>handing it a brutal result in an antitrust case brought by the Department of Justice four years ago.One drastic remedy to Google's monopoly being weighed by the DoJ involves breaking up the company, with "the most likely units for divestment" being Android and Chrome, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-13/doj-considers-seeking-google-goog-breakup-after-major-antitrust-win">a Bloomberg report published Tuesday</a>.<h2 id="1b7daa63-ac01-41a1-bf86-bbba2b8a888e">Search remedy</h2>Lawmakers failed to split Microsoft into two separate entities following a blockbuster antitrust case in the 1990s that saw the Windows maker also get tagged as a monopolist, so how much success they'd have trying to break up Google is uncertain.But Google will be asked to make remedies in some shape or form that will loosen its grip on the tech sector. Another possible remedy, according to my colleague Alistair Barr, is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-search-index-monopoly-remedy-doj-antitrust-2024-8">Google making its search index publicly available.</a>Beyond its battle in court, the company has also been having a hard time convincing investors that its fancy AI developments are going to generate returns.After reporting its latest earnings last month, the company struggled to convince investors that returns would be on the horizon as it doubles down on the spending needed to fuel its AI: capital expenditure almost doubled year-on-year in the quarter to $13 billion.Investors haven't been kind in return. In the past month, Google's stock has dropped by almost 12%.So yes, Google is moving fast again. Just don't be so sure about where it's going.

Google is moving fast again — but big problems cloud its path

Indian companies across multiple sectors have reported disappointing results in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, notes a new JM Financials report. Consequently, their poor performance has triggered stock price corrections for affected companies. The brunt of this weaker than expected earnings was largely borne by consumer centric sectors like FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), retail, and auto, which slacked largely due to dampened urban demand. For instance, India's largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki, reported a 5% YoY decline in its total domestic passenger vehicle wholesales, largely on the back of pent-up inventory. Similarly, Honda reported a staggering 23% YoY dip in its total sales during October 2024. A recent report by Bernstein noted that around 48% of the companies listed on the NSE100 index missed their earnings estimate for Q2FY25, the highest since March 2020. Most companies have mentioned deteriorated domestic demand, urban slowing, macroeconomic risk, and margin pressures as the main reasons behind the dip. "The quarter's earnings have made investors nervous," noted the JM Financials report. The challenging environment stems from multiple factors: softening consumer demand, rising input costs, and companies' limited ability to increase prices. Moreover, this is not limited to just one quarter. Companies have been reporting weak, single-digit earnings growth for the last six consecutive quarters. Data from India Data Hub also suggests that corporate profits of listed companies plunged by as much as 3.4% during the quarter ended September 30, 2024. This is in stark contrast to the year-ago period, where they had shot up by over 40% The oil and gas sector had a difficult quarter, with refiners hit by weak margins and city gas distributors struggling with higher input costs. Financial institutions showed mixed results. While government-owned banks reported strong numbers, microfinance institutions and some private lenders faced massive difficulties with their unsecured loans. Most notable amongst this was the case of IndusInd Bank, which saw its net profits dip by 40% amidst burgeoning provisions, which climbed 87% to Rs 1,820 crore in Q2, as against Rs 974 crore reported in the year-ago period. <h2>Markets head southwards</h2>The selling trend by FPIs has dragged down the major Indian indices, the Nifty 50 and Sensex, both of which have dropped by around 8% since the beginning of this selling spree in October. According to National Securities Depository Ltd. (NSDL) data, FPIs offloaded equities worth a significant Rs 19,994 crore in just the first five trading sessions of November last week. The impact is clearly visible on Indian stock markets. Data suggests that while every sector in October closed the month in red, auto, oil and gas, and consumer durables were the most badly hit, each declining by as much as 10% during the month. Another indicator underlining the inherent weakness of the market was that the month saw only 242 stocks hit their 52-week high, significantly below the usual monthly average of 310.

India Inc. stares at an earnings dearth in Q2, FMCG, auto, and consumer durables falter

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Fast food chains say they're locked in a "value war" to win <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-are-doubling-down-on-loyalty-programs-2024-8">increasingly choosy US customers</a>.</li><li>On earnings calls, brands highlighted ways they're trying to offer more bang for diners' bucks.</li></ul>It's an especially challenging time in the fast food business.As a flurry of summer deals come to an end, quick-serve chains say they're now locked in a "value war" to win increasingly choosy US customers.While almost everything is more expensive now than a few years ago, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=109406">inflation</a> figures show price increases for dining out have outpaced groceries, with the divide widening sharply over the past two years.More recently, some brands have aimed to soften the sticker shock with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-starbucks-costco-fast-food-retail-loyalty-programs-2024-10">temporary discounts to get diners in the door</a>, but rising costs of things like labor and raw ingredients are increasingly squeezing profits."Consumers have become more discerning," Moody's Ratings analyst Michael Zuccaro said in a note Friday. "Value perception is a key driver. This is not just price but also experience related factors such as convenience, speed, consistency, and accuracy."On earnings calls this week, brands such as McDonald's, Starbucks, Wendy's, and others highlighted ways they're trying to offer more bang for their customers' bucks.Chipotle said Tuesday that its ingredient costs have gone up recently due to a recent emphasis on delivering "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-says-ensuring-consistent-portions-has-hit-profitability-2024-10">consistent and generous portions</a>" in its burritos and bowls after customers complained earlier in the year of feeling short-changed.Between higher ingredient usage and other costs on the one hand, and a more competitive consumer economy, interim CEO Scott Boatwright said Chipotle was well-positioned to win the "value war" in fast-casual dining."The chicken burrito, on average, is still under $10, which we believe is still a 15% to 30% discount compared to our peer group. And so, we'll continue to lean into that as we move forward," he said in the company's call.Boatwright's predecessor Brian Niccol, who's now CEO at Starbucks, made <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-ceo-to-lay-out-strategy-to-fix-coffee-chain-2024-10">several critiques of the coffee chain's recent value proposition</a> during the coffee company's Wednesday earnings call, including its "complicated" menu and customization options."What I have found is when you get simplification in place on pricing, people understand, OK, this is what I'm paying, and this is what I'm getting. And right now, I think we're surprising people a little bit on what they're paying through the customization process and we've got to fix that," he said.Even Wingstop CFO Alex Kaleida weighed in."We see consumers prioritizing brands that are going to deliver on quality and value," he said Wednesday. "We think we're right in that sweet spot of those guest expectations."In the world of burgers and fries, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski expressed concern during the company's earnings call Tuesday that "our value leadership gap has shrunk" as other chains bring competitive offers to the marketplace."In response, we have moved with urgency in partnership with our franchisees to improve our value offerings in most of our major markets," Kempczinski said.McDonald's CFO Ian Borden also told analysts on the call that the company is using its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sales-dropped-second-quarter-in-a-row-sharees-down-2024-10">$5 meal deal to grow its loyalty program</a>."Buyers of the $5 meal are visiting us more frequently," he said on the call, saying that those repeat visitors go on to choose other menu items as well. "That's what you start seeing when you start getting consumers back into the restaurants on a more regular basis."Even premium burger brand Shake Shack said on Wednesday that its customers have had enough with price hikes, pushing the company to invest more in value."Despite the pricing we've taken over the last year, we're one of the few brands to actually improve our value equation over the last year," CEO Robert Lynch said during the company's call. "It does feel like all the initiatives that the team has put in place around service and speed, coupled with the great food that we continue to deliver, is driving a stronger value perception, which is allowing us to continue to grow."Wendy's rounded out the trend on Thursday with a detailed discussion of its approach to value."We're thinking about value," CFO Gunther Plosch said Thursday. "We absolutely believe that value in an environment of value-seeking consumers is not about only executing price-pointed promotions and value deals and value bundles — there's more to that."Plosch added that beyond the burger chain's creative promotions, the core menu remains essential to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wendys-stores-closing-140-locations-2024-11">getting customers to come back</a>."We are working really hard on having that value-seeking consumer having an outstanding experience at the restaurant," he told analysts.In other words, prices aren't likely to come down, but CEOs and CFOs will be anxious to see that you were satisfied with your order.

Fast food chains are locked in a 'value war' for US customers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Fast-food chains and retailers are using loyalty programs to drive sales amid inflation challenges.</li><li>These programs are key for customer retention and giving chains a competitive advantage.</li></ul>Retailers and fast-food chains are leaning into loyalty programs to drive sales. This week, McDonald's reported its Q3 results. Global <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sales-dropped-second-quarter-in-a-row-sharees-down-2024-10">sales dropped 1.5% in its latest quarter</a>, following a 1% slide in the previous quarter.However, one bright spot in its earnings was that the fast-food chain reported sales to its loyal members reached over $28 billion for the 12 months ending September — and $8 billion during the quarter across 50 loyalty markets. This is up from $6 billion in Q1 and $7 in Q2. The figure includes sales in both company-owned and franchisee restaurants.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-new-rewards-program-offers-free-burgers-and-mcchickens-2021-6">MyMcDonald's Rewards</a> was first introduced in the US in the summer of 2021. By the end of that year, McDonald's said over 21 million shoppers in the US had enrolled in the system. The program has since expanded to other markets.For every dollar spent on an order, you receive points. When accumulated, these can then be used to redeem free menu items.CEO Chris Kempczinski told analysts that the company's aim to reach 250 million active members by the end of 2027 was achievable. As of December 2023, McDonald's had 150 million 90-day active users in its loyalty program."We know as we drive loyalty adoption, we increase the frequency of visit and the spend from these customers over time," Kempczinski said.<h2 id="88661e47-ef97-4b4a-ae95-3bf701414a31">It's not just McDonald's</h2>McDonald's is not the only chain reaping the rewards from loyal consumers.Starbucks said in its most recent report earlier this week that its own rewards program had reached 33.8 million 90-day active members, a 4% year-on-year increase. Former boss Laxman Narasimhan said in February that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-offer-fewer-deals-under-new-ceo-2024-10">60% of the company's sales</a> were from the nearly 34 million Starbucks Rewards members.Another popular example is Costco, which has become a master at building a superfan base.The warehouse club chain said its executive-tier members, who get 2% rewards on purchases, are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-are-doubling-down-on-loyalty-programs-2024-8">responsible for about 73% of worldwide sales</a>.For West Paschal, cofounder of Alpine IQ, a Colorado-based customer loyalty platform that works with retail businesses, people are hesitant to spend on non-essential goods, so it is particularly important for businesses to use rewards programs to draw them in."It's especially necessary right now," he told Business Insider, "persuading consumers with loyalty deals can be a way to get them back in the store."<div type="image" title="A Starbucks barista works at an espresso machine" height="3456" width="5184" msid="114852909" hostid="261" sizebytes="514486"></div>As prices have soared due to inflation and shoppers have tightened their belts, fast-food chains have been competing against each other to tempt them back with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-price-rises-tipping-point-value-deals-combos-mcdonalds-2024-8">the best value meals</a>. McDonald's, KFC, and Burger King all rolled out $5 combo deals, for example."Loyalty programs are among the most effective ways businesses can cultivate customer engagement and repeat business," Kevin Shahnazari, cofounder of FinlyWealth, a personalized credit card recommendation service, said.Restaurants and stores that offer points-earning apps can drive consumers to opt to buy there over shopping at competitors and they would likely continue making their purchases somewhere where they can win rewards, he said.<h2 id="64ce7ac0-7b75-4926-88de-aa38ad203f8c">The power lies in the perks</h2>However, a good loyalty program should be about more than just the points.Financial incentives are still important, but there's a growing appreciation for rewards programs that align with the customer's values and include personalized experiences, Zsuzsa Kecsmar, chief strategy officer of Antavo Enterprise Loyalty Cloud, an AI-powered customer loyalty platform, said.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chappell-roan-against-hm-doesnt-bode-well-for-brand-2024-9">H&amp;M</a> is one of the retailers that offers exclusive event invites to its members, while <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nike-ceo-elliott-hill-takes-over-faces-challenges-2024-10">Nike</a> provides a customization service for its app users.For Zarina Stanford, CMO at software development firm Bazaarvoice, today's customer wants to feel recognized, and programs that achieve this can create a powerful cycle of prolonged engagement."In a marketplace where choices are endless, a strong loyalty program doesn't just retain customers, it also builds a relationship that feels personal and valuable," she said.It also provides companies with valuable data to understand customers better and tailor marketing.For the future of rewards systems, Kecsmar said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sc/how-your-business-can-leverage-data-to-increase-customer-loyalty">technology will likely play a crucial role</a> in further adapting to the personalized needs of customers."This might include leveraging AI and advanced analytics to create more intuitive and responsive loyalty ecosystems that adapt to individual customer preferences and behaviors," she added.

Why fast-food chains and big brands love loyalty programs

Julia Dovgal has always loved smelling good. As a child, she would douse herself in her mother's Chanel or Dior scents before going to school or meeting friends. For her birthday in 2017, she received her first "luxury" fragrance: Jo Malone's $165 bottle of Wood Sage and Sea Salt. The 29-year-old's collection has since grown to over 200 bottles.At first, Dovgal was into <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-perfumes-scents-everyone-should-buy-former-ulta-fragrance-consultant">designer fragrances</a> like the ones her mother owned. "Then I discovered niche perfumery," she tells me. She's constantly on the hunt for perfumes with notes of vanilla and sandalwood. Dovgal says she spends about $600 a month on her collection, which she reviews on TikTok. "I want to have them all," she says.Now a full-time content creator, Dovgal is far from the only young person driving a perfume renaissance. The market-research firm Circana says sales of luxury fragrance brands in the US grew by double digits in 2023. From 2021 to 2023, the size of the so-called prestige fragrance market increased by nearly $2 billion, to $8.3 billion, prompting a flood of new scents and brands.Behind the booming appetite for new smells is Gen Z. The generation has graduated from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/victorias-secret-using-gen-z-nostalgia-to-become-relevant-2024-10">Victoria's Secret</a> body mists and is desperate for something fancier. Circana found in 2023 that 83% of Gen Zers said they used fragrance, compared with 79% of Gen Xers and 69% of boomers. It's not just the women either: A recent survey on consumer spending by the investment bank Piper Sandler found that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/status-symbols-for-men-list-examples-2024-7">fragrance spending among teen boys </a>had increased by 26% since the spring of 2023. Longtime favorites — Axe, Old Spice, and Bath &amp; Body Works — have been replaced by brands like Valentino and Jean Paul Gaultier. The boys' locker room today smells less like a boys' locker room and more like the sales floor of Saks.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/perfume-buying-tips-mistakes-from-frequent-shopper-collector">Perfume</a> is no longer an afterthought sprayed on while running out the door; it's part of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-business-startups-entrepreneurship-digital-era-branding-social-media-2024-3">Gen Z's personal brand</a>. "Clean girls" might be wearing Maison Margiela's Replica Bubble Bath, a "quiet luxury" queen might give off the rich floral scent of Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge 540, while a "coastal grandmother" might douse herself in the woody notes of Byredo's Gypsy Water. Instead of picking one signature scent, young people are increasingly cycling through aesthetics. For Gen Z, it's all about the scent wardrobe.When e-commerce took off, the perfume industry smelled trouble. How are people supposed to know what scent they're buying if they can't spritz it through their screen? For a long time the industry tried to avoid online shopping, prioritizing classic scents and in-store sales. But when everything moved online during the pandemic in 2020, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/beauty/fragrance-the-shift-to-digital">US fragrance sales dropped by 21%</a>. Marketers used increasingly complex descriptions and illustrations of scents, but it was still an uphill battle.Around 2022, TikTok changed the game. Creators on #PerfumeTok touted their favorite scents, painting a picture for their followers of what they smelled like. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/glossier-you-perfume-viral-tiktok-genz-millennial-saved-brand-2024-6">Viral posts have caused fragrances to sell out</a>. Phlur said its Missing Person fragrance — the subject of TikTok videos with more than 50 million views — sold out within hours of its launch and amassed a 200,000-person waiting list. Curious about what it smells like? "You know when you're cuddling with someone that you really love, and you're, like, nuzzled up in their chest and you look up at them?" one creator said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@christina.calcote/video/7074014008629841198?lang=en">clip</a> that's been viewed 1.7 million times. "It smells like that." Circana found that 45% of people who bought perfume in 2022 said that TikTok influenced them. Instead of buying a scent based on smell, young people have started making purchases based on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/influencer-marketing-is-booming-as-brands-take-creators-more-seriously-2024-7">influencer recommendations</a>. "This is the type of fragrance for when you need to impress for a first date or a special-occasion event," Dovgal says in one of her most viewed TikToks. Under the handle @juliaperfumery, she shares perfume reviews for her primarily Gen Z audience against the backdrop of her New York City apartment's perfume closet. Each month she'll choose five or six fragrances to rotate through. "Perfume depends on the season and on the weather," she tells me. At the moment, her favorite brand is Juliette Has a Gun — she has almost all of the French label's fragrances.To address the issue inherent in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-scents-fragrances-to-wear-in-fall-from-perfumers-2024-10">online perfume reviews</a> — people can't smell through the screen — PerfumeTok creators got creative. Their posts are often miniature personal essays designed to evoke emotions and memories."I have to communicate with your other senses to try and paint a picture of this fragrance for you," says Emelia O'Toole, who posts to her nearly 400,000 followers on TikTok under the handle @professorperfume. "We really lean into these dramatic, often long-winded descriptions of perfumes because it's what sets the scene. We have to put an image in your head instead of a smell." A viewer may not know what rose, lychee, and oud smell like, but they can imagine what an elegant woman in a long evening dress out on an evening in New York might, she says. "There's been a shift from classical perfume terminology to a more creative way of communicating with the senses," O'Toole adds.Part of the shift is a growing interest in wearing scents that fit a specific aesthetic, mood, or brand. "If there's one thing Gen Z loves, it's a name for something," O'Toole says. Niche identities based on beauty fads have blossomed, especially on TikTok. If you're a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@marysherb/video/7266129751486598406?lang=en">tomato girl</a>, you probably have a bright rosy shade on your lips and cheeks to emulate a Mediterranean sunburn. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@itsitorri/video/7341746974216965419?lang=en&amp;q=vanilla%20girl&amp;t=1728926747169">Vanilla girls</a> have glowy skin and smell of expensive hand cream. A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@isabellrrose/video/7325120662979300651?lang=en&amp;q=mob%20wife&amp;t=1728926764427">mob wife</a>, on the other hand, dons a fur coat while sporting dark eyeliner. "We've gone in a circle, from wanting to move away from labels to wanting to hyperspecifically label everything," O'Toole says.This has encouraged what she calls a scent wardrobe. Years ago, someone's perfume collection may have included a day scent and a night scent, or perhaps a summer scent and winter scent. Now there's a scent for every occasion, mood, and scenario. There are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thenoelthomas/video/7407554605111889195">back-to-school</a> scents, scents to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@dinasshops/video/7387888204533239073">win your ex back</a>, scents to smell like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@characterperfumes/video/7219699790706265370?lang=en">Vanessa Paradis in Paris in the '90s</a> — the list goes on. While not every Gen Zer can boast a collection of hundreds of perfumes, there is an evident appetite for more. Piper Sandler's survey found that fragrance spending among teens had grown by 25% since last year.Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, a professor of consumer psychology at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK, connects the shift away from a signature scent with a weakening sense of identity. "The more time you spend online, the more you want to change how you represent yourself," she says. "You never really establish a proper sense of self." She also pointed to mass-consumption culture — the increasing ease and convenience of buying an exponentially growing number of cheap products — as a contributing factor. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shein-temu-could-get-more-expensive-genz-customers-trade-wars-2024-10">fast-fashion retailer Shein</a>, whose clothing prices rarely top $50, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.emarketer.com/content/shein-temu-win-over-gen-z-shoppers">incredibly popular with Gen Zers</a>, for instance. "With all these choices in terms of consumption, you don't get this full, internalized anchoring of who you are," Jansson-Boyd says. It's all about who Gen Z wants to be.That could be why certain companies have taken off recently. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/renting-clothes-pros-cons-what-its-like-using-nuuly-2023-1">Nuuly, a clothing-rental subscription service</a> launched in 2019 by Urban Outfitters, allows young people to cycle through new clothes each month and try out different styles without too much of a commitment. Last year the brand reached profitability, and this year it said in the second quarter that its "average active subscribers" had grown by 50% year over year.For O'Toole, experimenting with aesthetics is part of the fun. "I think that's one of the most beautiful parts about wearing a fragrance," she tells me. "You can say, 'Who do I feel like being today?' and just spray that on."For a long time, perfume was used <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quiet-status-symbols-popular-this-year-2024-1">to communicate status and wealth</a>. For many, it was a form of affordable affluence — a way to secure their status even when the economy was bad. You may not be spritzing it from your château in the Riviera, but with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/met-gala-nicole-kidman-chanel-commercial-dress-karl-lagerfeld-2023-5">Chanel No. 5</a> you could at least smell like Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, or Nicole Kidman. For Gen Z, however, the most coveted scent isn't always the most expensive one.With the emergence of niche independent perfumers and the increasing availability of affordable fragrances, signaling status is not just about having the money to splurge on designer fragrances — it's about being in the know. While most will recognize Chanel No. 5 on the street, only a few can put their finger on the notes of cardamom, fig, and black tea of BDK's Gris Charnel. A niche scent affords wearers an opportunity to stand out from the crowd while signaling that they have good taste — an inescapable paradox that Jansson-Boyd describes as part of being human. Who exactly you choose to signal to depends on your priorities: Out at a bar, you might sniff out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scoutdixonwest/video/7290642013110947118?lang=en">a fellow horse girl</a> or someone with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hllywoodforever/video/7403371630489062698">rockstar-girlfriend energy</a> and experience a fleeting moment of connection.For Gen Z, it's not enough for a fragrance to smell good — it has to make them feel something. By its very nature, perfume taps into this idea. The power of scent on our emotions can be traced back to ancient times; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3794443/">research suggests</a> smells evoke emotions that can help <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198031/">reduce stress and depression</a>. Amid a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-people-obsessed-longevity-luxury-hotels-iv-drips-mri-scans-2024-10">booming wellness industrial complex</a>, fragrances are increasingly being marketed as self-care tools. Take Bella Hadid's Orebella fragrances, which incorporate "aura enhancing" essential oils, for instance. Or Gabar, the London-based brand that says its mission is "to encourage ideas of self-expansion and self-awareness through scent and everyday rituals.""Nowadays people are looking beyond wholly utilitarian concepts and are looking to their beauty products and rituals to cultivate a sense of intentionality in their lives," says Susan Wai Hnin, Gabar's chief operating officer and global director. "This convergence of the worlds of beauty and wellness have resulted in the rise in popularity of mood-boosting products — people are looking to feel something when they use their products."The wellness angle — as opposed to the old-school sex-appeal marketing, which has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-03/young-adults-less-sex-gen-z-millennials-generations-parents-grandparents">fallen out of favor</a> with the "puriteen" generation — is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/the-trends-defining-the-1-point-8-trillion-dollar-global-wellness-market-in-2024?cid=other-eml-mtg-mip-mck&amp;hlkid=54f51c678f164e64b81b88f2b4f5146a&amp;hctky=1926&amp;hdpid=a91cc4a1-cb5d-48e8-9020-050490cd48c6">especially appealing to younger consumers</a>. Through a more holistic approach, fragrance is firmly embedding itself in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-loves-gym-weightlifting-workout-fitness-trends-planet-fitness-2024-8">Gen Zers' daily wellness routines</a>.If their perfume isn't getting them <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@karinawaldron/video/7348967227967769861">chased down the street</a>, lifting their mood, and signaling a unique-but-not-too-unique aesthetic, Gen Zers will turn their noses up.<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/eve-upton-clark">Eve Upton-Clark</a> is a features writer covering culture and society.

Gen Z's latest obsession: smelling good

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Americans' favorite tech gadgets could surge in price under Donald Trump's proposed tariffs, per a new report.</li><li>The president-elect vowed to install tariffs of 10% on US imports and 60% on Chinese goods.</li></ul>Buying a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/best-tv">new television</a> now instead of next year could save you hundreds of dollars.Under President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariff plans, consumers will likely see <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-donald-trump-tariffs-raise-prices-inflation-economists-agree-2024-11">prices surge</a> on big-ticket purchases, including several popular tech items and gadgets, according to a Consumer Technology Association <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://shop.cta.tech/products/how-the-proposed-trump-tariffs-increase-prices-for-consumer-technology-products">October report.</a>Trump has vowed to install a blanket tariff of 10% to 20% on all imports and a flat, additional tariff of at least 60% on Chinese goods — a move many economists have warned will <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-election-win-high-inflation-risk-tariffs-deportations-taxes-2024-11">raise prices for American consumers</a> and lead to inflation.During his first term, Trump made good on many of his campaign economic promises, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-china-trade-war-list-of-goods-tariffs-2018-9">imposing a wave of tariffs</a> in 2018 and 2019 on certain US imports from China, including steel, semiconductors, and EVs.Economists <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cato.org/blog/americans-paid-trump-tariffs-would-do-so-again">cited</a> in a Cato Institute report from earlier this year estimated that Trump's first-term tariffs cost the average American household about $830 a year.Trump has said his proposed tariffs would not increase prices for US consumers. But the former president's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tariffs-hit-company-stock-profits-hardest-china-investing-manufacturing-2024-11">tariff plans</a> would impact more than just a few key items this time: The consumer technology sector would be hit especially hard, and prices would rise on some of the most common tech items bought by US shoppers, the CTA report found.The pre-election report used Trade Partnership Worldwide, LLC research to examine how Trump's tariffs would affect 10 consumer technology products found in nearly every American home, including non-automobile lithium-ion batteries commonly used in portable electronics, TVs, computer accessories, connected devices, headphones, monitors, PCs, laptops and tablets, video games, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-laptop-apple-inventec-china-2015-9">smartphones.</a>The report found that tariff effects on those products alone would shrink US consumers' <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/purchase-power">spending power</a> in the sector by $90 billion, assuming no countries or products are excluded from the blanket tariff ring.Products for which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-brands-crept-into-life-tiktok-lenovo-tencent-xiaomi-dji-2023-8">China is the major supplier</a> would see the most dramatic price increases. China's economy is a more vulnerable state than it was when Trump previously implemented tariffs. The country is combating low wages and high unemployment among young people, leaving China's household spending far below the global average, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/why-chinas-economy-is-more-vulnerable-trump-tariffs-this-time-2024-11-06/">Reuters</a> reported earlier this year.In 2023, China accounted for 87% of US video game console imports, 78% of smartphone imports, and 79% of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-smart-devices-market-2013-2">laptop and tablet imports</a>, the Consumer Technology Association reported.Under Trump's tariffs, the average price of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/best-budget-gaming-laptops">laptops and tablets</a> could skyrocket 45%, jumping an additional $200-$350 from their current prices, the CTA report found.Similarly, smartphones would see a more than 25% increase in consumer price, surging more than $200 from their average October price, the report said, which also drew on trade and tariff data from the World Integrated Trade Solution, the US Census Bureau, and the Global Trade Analysis Project.Under Trump's tariffs, video game consoles, meanwhile, could cost nearly $250 more than they currently do, and monitors could increase by more than $100, the report found. Televisions will see a 9% increase in consumer price, costing an additional $48 on average, according to the CTA report.To combat rising prices, US consumers would likely <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retirement-saving-inflation-cost-of-living-crisis-investing-401k-pensions-2024-11">slow their spending</a> on such items, decreasing laptop purchases and tablets by 54% and smartphones by 44%, the report found.Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, and Vice President of International Trade Ed Brzytwa warned in the organization's October report that the tariff's impacts on consumer technology could extend beyond the sector."The proposed tariffs will not create more employment or manufacturing in the US," the CTA executives wrote. "In fact, the opposite may happen where our productivity decreases and jobs may be lost over time when workers and businesses have less affordable access to technology."

Here's how much more laptops, TVs, and smartphones could cost under Trump's proposed tariffs, consumer group says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Good morning. Milton has strengthened once again into a Category 5 hurricane. Gas stations across Florida are already <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-gas-stations-out-of-fuel-before-hurricane-milton-landfall-2024-10">running out of fuel</a> as millions of people try to flee.In today's big story, we got our first interest-rate cut, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-interest-rate-cuts-outlook-economy-recession-no-landing-borrowing-2024-10">but it doesn't feel like it for many consumers</a>.What's on deck:<ul><li>Markets: Roblox is the latest target of <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/roblox-stock-price-short-seller-hindenburg-report-gaming-inflated-metrics-2024-10">short-seller Hindenburg Research</a>.</li><li>Tech: The DOJ is considering asking a judge to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-search-antitrust-case-doj-remedy-alphabet-2024-10">break up Google</a>.</li><li>Business: Walt Disney World will temporarily <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-world-shut-down-hurricane-milton-florida-orlando-parks-2024-10">close its doors</a> for Hurricane Milton.</li></ul>But first, we're canceling the landing.If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h3 id="7fa5f018-5b05-4a37-a8dc-d3f89138bcb3">The big story</h3><h2 id="5fd547b9-ec52-41fc-8e08-4f4b27dd8097">So much for the help</h2><div type="image" title="Business person in a suit holding scissors, preparing to cut strings suspending a stack of cash, with a group of people standing below" height="1500" width="2000" msid="114087130" hostid="261" sizebytes="264596"></div>The US economy is having an Instagram vs. reality moment.Last month's interest-rate cuts were supposed to kick off a new era. After two years of battling inflation, the Federal Reserve finally claimed victory. More rate cuts were coming, which meant lower borrowing costs for everyone.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-interest-rate-cuts-outlook-economy-recession-no-landing-borrowing-2024-10">But the relief many were hoping for isn't materializing</a>, writes Business Insider's Jennifer Sor. Let's break down why.We finally got an interest-rate cut, but borrowing costs are still high. What gives? First off, last month's interest-rate cut wasn't going to provide immediate relief. It takes time for cuts to trickle down to consumers. The Fed also telegraphed the cut, so the market started pricing it in.That seems fair, but borrowing rates are still rising in some cases. Yes, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mortgage-rate-increase-since-federal-reserve-cut-interest-rates-housing-2024-10">has gone up 47 basis points since the Fed cut rates</a>, writes BI's Matthew Fox.So the Fed cut rates but borrowing costs went up? How is that possible? You can thank the 10-year Treasury yield, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economy-outlook-impact-of-rate-cuts-10-year-treasury-yields-2024-9">which is a key benchmark used by</a> lenders. It went above 4% this week for the first time since August.I'm confused. Why is there such a discrepancy between the two? The Fed's rate is focused on the short-term while the 10-year Treasury reflects a longer-term view (hence the name). As a result, the 10-year bond yield can diverge from the Fed's benchmark rate.Gulp So what does the 10-year Treasury rising mean for the economy? Big picture, it's a good thing. Thanks to a stellar jobs report, investors have a positive view of the economy's future. But the downside is we shouldn't expect the slew of rate cuts investors were banking on. The economy will likely avoid a recession and not need the help.Is this a soft landing or a hard landing? Neither. It's considered a "no landing" because the economy remains strong, but in a way that risks reigniting inflation, which would hamstring the prospect of future stimulative rate cuts.What's with all the aviation metaphors? I don't know.OK, so at this rate, will I ever be able to buy a house? It's honestly not as bad as it seems. BI's James Rodriguez, who's covered the housing market for a while, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-ice-age-homebuyers-mortgage-rates-spring-real-estate-2024-10">has a piece on why the industry's ice age is starting to thaw</a>. There was a 34% year-over-year increase in active listings in September. More inventory will help unstick the economy.<h3 id="77f31a4c-8462-4e3d-a71f-838cb79493fb">News brief</h3><h2 id="1fcd294b-3f53-425f-9f20-4093e8623b59">Top headlines</h2><ul><li>The Kremlin says <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kremlin-says-trump-sent-putin-covid-tests-pandemic-denies-calls-2024-10">Trump sent Putin COVID tests</a> during the pandemic, but denies subsequent calls.</li><li>Boeing's negotiations with union leaders <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-strike-negotiations-union-leaders-break-down-after-two-days-2024-10">break down 2 days after restarting</a>.</li><li>Exclusive: AI cloud startup Ori is in talks to raise up to $80 million in funding, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ori-gpu-ai-startup-talks-raise-funding-nvidia-2024-10">sources say</a>.</li><li>A surprising company <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robotaxi-ridesharing-tesla-waymo-uber-2024-10">might beat Elon Musk</a> in the robotaxi race.</li><li>Influencers are swiping a new black card at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/influencer-marketing-startup-oth-network-pays-creators-products-services-2024-10">restaurants, spas, and fitness studios</a>.</li><li>I don't allow Roblox in my house. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roblox-not-allowed-my-child-kids-why-explained-2024-10">Here's why</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="8120060b-ae66-48dc-b149-f0489a30ffa2">3 things in markets</h2><div type="image" title="Photo of wave hitting Florida park" height="1000" width="2000" msid="114087135" hostid="261" sizebytes="112966"></div><ol><li>The Hurricane Milton trade is in full effect, according to US natural gas futures. Energy traders are betting the storm barreling toward Tampa will cause power outages in multiple states. <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/hurricane-milton-power-outage-florida-electricity-natural-gas-prices-futures-2024-10">Futures on US natural gas have dropped 8% over the past few days</a> as power plants are expected to be left idling as demand evaporates.</li><li>A short-seller takes aim at Roblox for "lying to investors." Hindenburg Research accused the online gaming platform of <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/roblox-stock-price-short-seller-hindenburg-report-gaming-inflated-metrics-2024-10">inflating its user numbers</a> by including bots and players with multiple accounts. It also called Roblox a "pedophile hellscape," claiming child users are exposed to grooming and pornography. A Roblox spokesperson said in a statement it "totally" rejected the claims made in the report.</li><li>Bank of America is bullish on stock gains ahead of this earnings season. "The bar isn't high," BofA analysts said in a Tuesday note. Stocks should rise as long as companies report they're <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stocks-q3-earnings-lower-rates-stocks-returns-outlook-bofa-2024-10">feeling good about lower rates</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="f4b54806-7f81-450c-ba32-92560d4fae9b">3 things in tech</h2><div type="image" title="Vinod Khosla" height="900" width="1200" msid="114087136" hostid="261" sizebytes="76966"></div><ol><li>OpenAI's exec exodus might actually be a good thing, Vinod Khosla says. The legendary investor backing OpenAI has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-vinod-khosla-fixing-ai-image-2024-10">plenty of confidence in the startup</a>, even after multiple high-profile exits. He also thinks the AI industry is catching strays from "Luddites" — those who think the tech is a slippery slope into a Westworld-ian apocalypse.</li><li>The DOJ may seek to break up Google. After a major antitrust lawsuit against Google, a federal judge ruled that it illegally monopolized online search. Now, prosecutors are proposing "behavioral and structural remedies." If enacted by a judge, the changes could <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-search-antitrust-case-doj-remedy-alphabet-2024-10">force a major reorganization or even a breakup</a> of some of Google's basic businesses, including its search engine.</li><li>Where are the Gen Z Mark Zuckerbergs? Gen Zers, aged 13 to 27, haven't produced any big-name tech founders like previous generations. But don't just blame it on Zoomers' blasé attitudes toward work — <a target="_blank" href="https://businessinsider.com/gen-z-tech-founder-gap-zuckerberg-bezos-holmes-2024-10">there's a bigger reason</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="9260fa45-d397-4b3c-b4f8-4bb193976216">3 things in business</h2><div type="image" title="A screenshot of zara.com" height="1500" width="2000" msid="114087133" hostid="261" sizebytes="93076"></div><ol><li>Zara's bizarre website is the secret to its success. The site, which feels more like a magazine spread than an online retailer, is routinely roasted for being "virtually unusable." But experts say <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zara-website-memes-mocked-secret-success-aspirational-luxury-consumers-2024-10">there's a method to Zara's madness</a>: It's meant to project an upscale image, distancing itself from other fast-fashion brands.</li><li>The "happiest place on earth" takes a rain check. There are literally storm clouds forming over Florida's family-friendly amusement parks, as the state braces for Hurricane Milton. It's a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-world-shut-down-hurricane-milton-florida-orlando-parks-2024-10">rare occasion for Disney World</a>, which has only closed its gates nine times in more than 50 years.</li><li>Tesla executives are hitting the exits. In the past week, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-loses-4-top-executives-ahead-of-robotaxi-event-2024-10">four of Elon Musk's direct reports have announced they're leaving</a>, or have already left, the company. Their departures come ahead of Robotaxi Day tomorrow, where Musk is tasked with convincing investors that Tesla is more than just a car company.</li></ol><h2 id="9f5d80ac-3466-429f-a50a-2ffbb70c65ff">What's happening today</h2><ul><li>Hurricane Milton is projected to hit the west coast of Florida, including the Tampa Bay area.</li><li>Federal Open Market Committee's September meeting minutes and forecast published.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Milan Sehmbi, fellow, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

Why the interest-rate cut isn't delivering the relief consumers were hoping for

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Beef prices in the US are rising due to a historic drought and herd liquidation.</li><li>Fast food chains like McDonald's and Burger King have already raised prices due to inflation.</li></ul>Inflation has not been kind to food prices — especially for eating out.According to the consumer price index, food away from home rose 4% in the 12 months to August — higher than gains in both grocery store prices and the overall CPI.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-raised-prices-california-fast-food-minimum-wage-hike-2024-4">Starbucks</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-expensive-prices-too-high-fast-food-restaurant-falling-sales-2024-7">McDonald's</a>, KFC, In-N-Out, and Olive Garden are among the chains that have raised prices due to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-price-rises-tipping-point-value-deals-combos-mcdonalds-2024-8#:~:text=Too%20expensive&amp;text=The%20cost%20of%20labor%20and,restaurants%20went%20up%20by%208.2%25.">soaring cost of labor and commodities</a>.McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said in July that a fall in sales in the most recent quarter could partially be attributed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-expensive-prices-too-high-fast-food-restaurant-falling-sales-2024-7">its food being too expensive</a>.In response to consumers exploring different options — like eating at home instead — restaurants have realigned efforts into value menus. Over the summer, McDonald's and Burger King introduced <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-launches-5-dollar-value-meal-before-mcdonalds-months-2024-5">$5 combo deals</a>.These cheaper options <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-mcdonalds-5-dollar-meal-deal-pulling-in-customers-inflation-2024-7">appeared to be popular</a>, bolstering visits to McDonald's stores.But the restaurant business is facing another issue. Lance Zimmerman, a senior animal protein analyst for Rabo AgriFinance, told Business Insider that beef prices are increasing sharply.<div type="image" title="mcdonalds cheeseburger" height="3024" width="4032" msid="114213786" hostid="261" sizebytes="324610"></div><h2 id="f9ab6d52-d50d-40da-ab5f-be75b38eb654">The US cattle herd is at its smallest in seven decades</h2>"The beef industry, just as it was going through the pandemic, was also going through one of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-fueled-droughts-unearthing-unexpected-discoveries-2022-7">worst droughts</a> in the US that we have ever had in the last 100 years," he said.As a result, suppliers began to liquidate or reduce the cow herd.Now, beef supplies are getting tighter, meaning prices are increasing, Zimmerman said.According to their websites, several fast food chains use American beef, including McDonald's, Wendy's, and Yum! Brands, which owns Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC.Data from the Department of Agriculture revealed that the US cattle herd fell to 87.2 million at the beginning of 2024, its smallest since 1951.The USDA reported that this led to record retail beef prices, with an all-fresh value of $8.15 per pound for July.It's bad news for hamburger fans."The reality is over the next couple of years, beef prices are going to continue to go higher," Zimmerman said.He said the problem is amplified by beef production struggling to keep up with population growth. Meanwhile, a rise in US exports of the meat has cut domestic supply.The other issue is that when you liquidate cows, it takes about two years to replace them, he said. A 500-pound calf has to first more than double in size before breeding and producing its own calf, which takes another nine months, he said.For Zimmerman, consumers will not start to see the benefits of stronger beef supplies until 2027 or 2028.In other words, don't count on the burger at your local restaurant getting any cheaper anytime soon.<h2 id="5e3bdb68-a608-4714-9be4-bc2591bf9ff5">Steak prices are also sizzling</h2><div type="image" title="A steak with a brown crust and pink center cooking in a cast-iron skillet with herbed butter on top" height="1414" width="2121" msid="114213791" hostid="261" sizebytes="239462"></div>Jay Bandy, the president of Goliath Consulting Group, a Georgia-based restaurant consulting firm, told BI that beef inflation is a problem across the restaurant industry, including fine dining.One of the group's clients has had to raise prices on some of its key steak items, and another is considering removing steak and fries from its menu."The problem with beef prices is its hard to be profitable in a steak-centric restaurant," Bandy said. "Higher-end dining is feeling more of a pinch because the market for fine dining is negative right now. It peaked earlier in the year, so they're in the tough spot."He said that anyone wanting a steak should <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/beef-expensive-diners-buy-more-steak-at-restaurants-dining-darden-2024-3">expect to pay more</a> right now.<h2 id="e9592e8b-db8f-4d6b-a079-19f1d2f620f5">Restaurants should seize this opportunity to find beef alternatives</h2>Till Dudler, managing director of global consumer goods and services strategy for Accenture, told BI that the strained beef market provides real opportunities for restaurants to update their menus."I haven't seen this yet in the protein space, but in the ice cream space, some of our clients will basically change their portfolios depending on what prices are out there," he said. That means if blueberries are cheap, expect to see more blueberry ice cream.Dudler explained that white meat, like chicken, is generally a good substitute. He also said there are plenty of non-meat alternatives, such as lentils and chickpeas.Chickens bred for meat grow much faster than cows and can be bred quickly.Bandy said chicken is one of the main alternatives he has been advising his clients to use in their restaurants instead. "Chickens are easy to work with. Chicken breast and chicken thighs are fairly reasonably priced as a protein right now."For Dudler, it's time for businesses that rely on beef to rethink and reinvent.

Sorry fast food fans — your burger is only going to get more expensive

The department for promotion of industry and internal trade (<keyword id="19952901" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DPIIT" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="DPIIT" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="DPIIT">DPIIT</keyword>) on Monday asked <keyword id="19957196" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="white-goods" source="keywords">white goods</keyword> manufacturers to participate in large numbers to avail fiscal benefits under the <keyword id="19952889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="production-linked-incentive" source="keywords">production linked incentive</keyword> scheme for the sector as the response has been muted so far. Additional Secretary in the DPIIT Rajeev Singh Thakur said that the department has again reopened the application window for the PLI (production linked incentive) scheme for white goods (<keyword id="20360726" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ACs" source="keywords">ACs</keyword> and LED lights). The application window is open from July 15 to October 12. "In the PLI in white goods scheme, somehow the response has been muted. ...Probably due to various reasons not sufficient response has come. So I request (the industry) to have a look and probably this time, you can consider (applying)," Thakur said at the CII Consumer Electronics and Durables Summit 2024 here. So far, 66 applicants with committed investment of Rs 6,962 crore have been selected as beneficiaries under the PLI scheme. The Union Cabinet had given approval for the PLI scheme for white goods for <keyword id="19914449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manufacturing" source="keywords">manufacturing</keyword> of components and sub-assemblies of Air Conditioners (ACs) and LED lights on April 7, 2021. The scheme is to be implemented over a seven-year period, from 2021-22 to 2028-29, and has an outlay of Rs 6,238 crore. He added that the department can hold talks with the industry separately on issues like quality control orders and logistics. Thakur told the industry that the time is right to increase investments into the country as the government has enhanced its capex and taken steps to promote <keyword id="19996629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ease-of-doing-business" source="keywords">ease of doing business</keyword>. The public capex in the last 10 years is growing at a fast pace in areas like highways, expressway, ports, airports and railways, but the commensurate response of the private sector "somehow is not up to the expectation", he said. Earlier speaking at the event, DPIIT Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia said that a lot of steps have been taken to promote ease of doing business, cutting down compliance burden and decriminalisation of minor offences. The government has also recently approved 12 industrial townships and the industry can look at investing there. He added that capital availability is not an issue now and the government has also provided protection to the industry from predatory imports. Schemes like PLI and semiconductor mission have been rolled out to promote manufacturing and "now we want the industry" to ensure that they have necessary collaborations in place for technology and investments. The industry should do collaborations not only to target the domestic market but also become part of global value chains. "That is an expectation we are having from the entire industry and I think industry will rise to meet these expectations... We have a huge demographic dividend and the industry should take advantage of this otherwise we will miss it," Bhatia added. He also said that there is no paucity of adequate skilled labour in the country and logistics costs too are coming down. On logistics, he cited examples of Amazon and Flipkart selling goods in the remotest part of the country. "I don't think industry should look at the current domestic demand only for collaborations. They should look at the future and export market also in addition to the domestic market," he said, adding expenditure on research and development is "abysmally" low and that needs to be enhanced. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-launching-in-india-in-october-2024/slidelist/113809612.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-launching-in-india-in-october-2024/slidelist/113809612.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming cars launching in India in October 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-october-2024/slidelist/113804125.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-october-2024/slidelist/113804125.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming smartphones launching in India in October 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/krn-heat-exchanger-ipo-allotment-check-allotment-status-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/113801258.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/krn-heat-exchanger-ipo-allotment-check-allotment-status-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/113801258.cms" target="_blank">KRN Heat Exchanger IPO allotment – Check allotment status, GMP, listing date and more</a>

Govt asks white goods industry to apply for manufacturing sops in large numbers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Colgate-Palmolive uses sensors and robotics to speed up quality checks with less human intervention.</li><li>These tools allow the company to optimize manufacturing at its 49 plants.</li></ul>Colgate-Palmolive produces more than 15,000 tubes of toothpaste a minute.To ensure the manufacturing line was running properly, an employee would perform quality checks every 30 minutes to make sure that the Colgate toothpaste tube was aligned properly, its seal was sturdy, its artwork was printed properly, and the box's case matched the tube.But with new technology investments, sensors, and other digital tools, the company can now conduct quality checks continuously. Similarly, the consumer products giant is rolling out analytical testing for Hill's pet food, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robots-warehouses-human-workers-startups-investors-amr-fetch-robotics-2022-10">using robotics to ensure the quality</a> of the food matches the desired formulation.With less human intervention, "people can really focus on the operation of the lines," Luciano Sieber, Colgate-Palmolive's chief supply-chain officer, told Business Insider.<h2 id="12915478-3930-408a-ad68-2c35ab4b4ad7">How COVID changed supply chains for consumer-products giants</h2>Colgate-Palmolive produces Irish Spring soap, Speed Stick deodorant, and Ajax cleaning supplies at 49 plants, and its goods in categories ranging from home to personal care are stocked at nearly 200 warehouses globally. Colgate-branded products are found in almost 60% of households worldwide.Like other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cpgs-arent-planning-to-up-their-marketing-spend-but-will-if-consumers-rebel-against-price-increases-2023-2">consumer-packaged goods giants</a>, Colgate-Palmolive's supply chain was built on a fairly steady business model. Large volumes of goods are made at its plants, then shipped to warehouses that distribute them to large retailers.However, the supply chain is more complex now because <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/people-revolutionizing-customer-experience-ai-2023-10">consumer shopping patterns</a> have changed. COVID led to a spike in demand at e-commerce stores that sell household goods, even those that were still available at physical stores. Food and personal-care products saw the greatest revenue growth in transitioning to online channels, according to the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration.That migration of spending has stuck, even after the pandemic waned, putting greater pressure on consumer brands to ensure their supply chains are as efficient as possible. CPG brands aren't just shipping to large accounts like Walmart and Target. Food and household goods are now coming from a lot more locations to reach shoppers.<h2 id="a0b45714-7cea-47ed-b03c-a01f98706e0d">Automation and AI allow for more efficient manufacturing</h2>Automating Colgate-Palmolive's manufacturing lines helps smooth out location-related variables, the company said.In Europe, where product formulas can vary by region, a plant might have hundreds of combinations of packs and formulas, and there are thousands of vendor partners for Colgate's toothpaste, tubes, and containers.With artificial intelligence, the plants can use <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/forget-ai-algorithm-apocalypse-driving-humans-lives-data-stock-market-2024-4">algorithms to optimize the manufacturing plan</a> for all the different toothpastes the company produces."It supports our growth, but also it minimizes the amount of capital expenditure we need to invest in more capacity because we can optimize what we already have," Sieber said.Emma Rolfe, Colgate-Palmolive's senior vice president of global supply, demand, and e-commerce, said that leveraging AI helps the company more effectively adjust for changes to the workflow when a new formula is added or capacity requirements change when demand increases locally."That is something that today takes many hours, and you get many different answers depending on who you are," Rolfe said. "AI can help in a more standardized way."<h2 id="e821ca3a-c0fd-4b46-a31b-0f757a8424f2">New AI tools help track and trace goods</h2>Colgate-Palmolive is piloting digital AI tools, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-machine-learning-robotics-retail-supply-chain-technology-2023-10">track-and-trace technology</a>, that can give retailers automatic updates to their product orders, including any delays that might occur during shipping.Sales representatives can use a phone to scan a shelf in a store, leverage AI to look for gaps, and determine which items need to be restocked to meet the demand of that store's customer base.Last year, the company opened a new Hill's pet-food factory in Kansas, a 365,000-square-foot facility that's Colgate-Palmolive's first <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-factories-data-centers-nvidia-foxconn-2023-10">"smart" factory</a>, which relies on AI and automation and fewer people. It's allowed the company to shorten its production cycle, create flexibility to innovate new pet-food products, and decrease energy and water use compared to other plants, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hills-pet-nutrition-opens-new-smart-factory-in-tonganoxie-to-meet-global-pet-owner-demand-for-science-led-nutrition-301957784.html#:~:text=TOPEKA%2C%20Kan.%2C%20Oct">press release</a> from the company said."Every single operation, like quality testing, has been automated and that enables for a much more efficient factory," Sieber said.As is often the case with AI and automation, new factories like the one in Kansas raise questions about their impact on jobs. But Sieber stresses that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-ceo-retail-workers-lose-jobs-ai-2024-1">humans will always participate in manufacturing</a>."What we find in our most advanced sites is technologies alone, they don't solve everything," Sieber said. Upskilling Colgate-Palmolive's workforce, he said, moves people "away from doing manual work to really using the power of critical thinking and conceptual thinking to improve process performance."

A consumer-packaged goods giant is harnessing AI to produce more toothpaste and dog food in less time

Paul Reiser knows that his advice for fellow actors is contradictory."Say yes to everything, except for the things you have to say no to," Reiser tells Business Insider.At first blush, his recommendation is baffling — but maybe he's onto something. After all, this is the actor who went from doing stand-up comedy at New York clubs to starring in films like "Diner" and "Beverly Hills Cop," and has been steadily racking up TV and movie roles since the '80s."Still, not every project Reiser has ever done has been a slam dunk like "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/every-alien-movie-ranked-best-worst">Aliens</a>," "Mad About You," or "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stranger-things-season-5-details-premiere-duffer-brothers-2022-7">Stranger Things</a>." But the actor says that's part of the process: You have to say yes to a lot to learn what to say no to in the future."There are career decisions, especially when you're young, you say yes to because you'll gain something from it," Reiser says. "But I think as I've gotten older, saying no is just as important."One role he couldn't say no to was playing a bowling commentator named Angelo Powers in "The Gutter,' written and directed by siblings Yassir and Isaiah Lester.The movie centers on Walt (Shameik Moore), a man who uses his unexpectedly sharp bowling skills to turn pro in the hopes of winning enough prize money to save a run-down local joint called AlleyCatz. As Walt gains notoriety on the bowling circuit, Angelo shares his tasteless jokes and comments through a segment called "Bowl Lives Matter.""It's a very rare thing that I respond quickly and positively," Reiser says of reading the movie's script. "I usually find some reason to not do something."Reiser's character feeds into the film's bold, boundary-pushing humor, and the actor relished playing a "clueless low-rent sportscaster.""The Gutter" is brash by design, and Reiser says that's the film's strength."It's not staying within the bounds," he says. "It's offbeat and it's just some colors that you don't always see and characters that you don't always see. And that's part of what appealed to me. It felt very fresh and different."For the latest interview in Business Insider's <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/role-play-series">"Role Play" series</a>, Reiser reflects on the success of "Mad About You," how his frugality ended up being one of his best business moves, and the one thing that baffles him about "Stranger Things" fans.<h2 id="6a36a54d-8505-4711-af23-8bd21ebd51da">On why playing Dr. Owens in 'Stranger Things' was an 'acting challenge'</h2><div type="image" title="Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Paul Reiser as Dr. Owens on &quot;Stranger Things.&quot;" height="1899" width="3839" msid="115387623" hostid="261" sizebytes="255412"></div>Burke in "Aliens" is one of your most notable performances. At the time, you were mostly known for standup and roles in "Diner" and "Beverly Hills Cop." Did being in "Aliens" lead you to be considered for more antagonist roles after that?I think it did open it up a bit because it was such a popular movie. I dunno about being an antagonist. Do I play the antagonist? I don't know. I like doing that. I mean, it's fun to be a sort of prickly guy.One of the things that was fun with "Stranger Things" was it was never clear to me, or maybe it wasn't even clear to the creators, if I was a good guy or a bad guy. And I thought, well, that's a really interesting thing to play if you yourself don't know where you're going with this. I thought it was an interesting acting challenge. He might be a bad guy, but he also might not be. Let's see.You're a seasoned actor, and in "Stranger Things," you get to work alongside younger up-and-coming talents. Did you have any preconceived notions about what it would be like to work with actors like Millie Bobby Brown and the younger generation? What was your experience like on set?It was almost the opposite. I had seen the first season and saw how good it was and how great everybody there was. So I felt like the new kid at school who doesn't know where to sit at lunch. I thought, I'm coming into their party.They didn't seem like kids. They were just all really sweet, young, nice people and David Harbour and Winona [Ryder]. So everybody was very embracing and welcoming, which is not always the case. Not that people are not nice, but sometimes people just don't have the time to make the new person feel welcome.I was always aware of that on "Mad About You" when we had guest stars. It's sometimes off-putting or challenging for somebody to come into a well-oiled machine and feel comfortable, so we would all try to make sure that our guests felt welcome. So it was nice to be on the receiving end of that on "Stranger Things."So no, I didn't feel intimidated, but I was relieved to see it's a very dark world, but it's a very light, fun set. They were just all really funny, goofy kids. And they're now all 47, so they're very different!It was funny to go back, because it wouldn't be a year, it'd be like a year and a half between seasons. And those were very growth-spurt years. And I was like, "Whoa, that little kid is now taller than me. What happened here?" It was a very fun, familial kind of feel.Netflix <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stranger-things-season-5-details-premiere-duffer-brothers-2022-7">announced</a> that the last season of "Stranger Things" is coming out next year. Your character Dr. Owens' fate was a little ambiguous last season, but people think he survives. Any update on whether you'll be returning?I'm not allowed to talk because they have my home address and they will hunt you down. No, they're like me, very secretive, and so I honor that. I'm not going to say nothing.You know, it's funny to me. I remember my first experience when I was on season two. It's a very complicated production, so the post-production took a long time. I had never experienced this thing where people would ask me, "When is it coming out? When is it coming out?" They couldn't wait because they were clamoring for season two.And then when it came out, finally this big huge premiere, and it was a global event. And then the next day people go, "All right, we watched all the episodes. What's next?" Boy, they're consuming it too quickly.We just spent all day making this meal. Chew your food slowly, don't watch it all in one sitting because it's consumed so quickly. Everybody was like, "Now what do we do?" Well, I didn't tell you to watch 'em all, did I?You've also guest-starred on "The Boys." Back in June, you <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-boys-paul-reiser-confirms-hes-returning-for-final-season/">said</a> that there were talks about you returning for the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-boys-season-5-release-date-cast-plot-2024-6">fifth and final season</a>, and I think season five should begin filming soon. Any update on where those talks landed?Have I seen any scripts? No, but they've indicated that I will be part of it somehow, so you'll know as soon as I know. I'm not being cautious, I actually don't know.<h2 id="e19bbd2c-3bc0-4beb-8b27-5beee49a98e5">On his big payday for the final season of 'Mad About You' and his smartest business move</h2><div type="image" title="Helen Hunt as Jamie and Paul Reiser as Paul Buchman on &quot;Mad About You.&quot;" height="1956" width="3000" msid="115387621" hostid="261" sizebytes="352266"></div>Going back to "Mad About You," by the end of that show, you and Helen Hunt were reportedly paid $1 million per episode, which was really rare for that time. How did being on such a successful show and earning a steadily growing paycheck influence how you viewed your career?It's a very weird thing to be on a successful TV show. You really enter a new world because you're suddenly, seemingly overnight, you're in people's living rooms on a regular basis. And then I know as a viewer, you watch something long enough, you feel close to these people. So I definitely felt the impact of going from basically zero to a hundred. Zero to, whoa, we're on a hit show that's in magazines and people are watching.But the reality is, I don't know if it changes your life because you're so busy in the moment, we're so busy making, it. And especially for me, and then Helen ultimately too, was the producing part of it and directing. And so it was a very labor-intensive thing. There wasn't a lot of time to go out and see the world or do stuff until we put it to bed.What's the best business move that you've made in your 30-plus years in the industry?I wish I had something to point to. I don't know. I've never had outrageous hobbies or expensive passions. So maybe being accidentally frugal was a smart move.I don't really put a lot of thought into it. I have people that advise me and say, "Do this, don't do that." I'm like, OK. And I usually get turned off if somebody goes, "Yeah, it was a great investment opportunity." My brain can only handle so much information, so I'm going to cut that stuff out.<h2 id="406a417e-7f68-4381-bf99-432314eaa9e5">On learning the power of saying no sometimes</h2><div type="image" title="Paul Reiser as Burker and Sigourney Weaver as Ripley in &quot;Aliens.&quot;" height="1546" width="2878" msid="115387624" hostid="261" sizebytes="84680"></div>What advice would you give yourself when you were starting out as an actor, given what you know now?Even dopey movies or dopey shows yield some fruit. I can look back and go, "Boy, that was a stinky show. That was a stinky movie." But sometimes even knowing that was helpful. It informs your decision-making next time. Like, all right, I'm going to be a little bit more discerning. Or the experience isn't great, but you meet a great producer or you meet an acting buddy who becomes a friend.I did this movie, "The Problem With People," which is out now on digital, and we screened it at USC film school. And I was actually skeptical. I was thinking, it stars me and Colm Meaney, two guys in their 60s, and I don't know how college kids are going to respond.They really dug the film and they were asking questions and they said, "What advice can you give us?" The only thing that I came up with that I really believe to be true is to say yes to everything. If somebody says, "We're making a small little movie and there's no money, but you'll get lunch and we just need you to move tables," just do it. Because you'll learn something, you'll meet people and you'll start focusing in on what you don't like, what you're inclined to do.If you want to be an actor, but somebody said, "Can you just be a part of this in some other capacity?" it's almost invariably going to be helpful to be doing something, to be part of a community.So that's what I would probably tell myself. But there are things that I have said no to that I'm glad I said no to. But again, you sort of learn from experience like, "Ooh, I don't want to do that again."What are some things that you're glad you said no to?I don't remember what I said no to. One thing that I wish I had said no to was I did a movie a couple of years ago and I had a really wonderful trip planned with my wife and we were going to go to Italy and meet some friends. And last minute I got offered this role, but I said, "I don't want to cancel. I have this really nice trip planned and I'm really looking forward to it."And I got persuaded by agents. It's like, "This is a really good film, really good people, and it'll be good for you." Next time I learned. I was like, "I'm not passing up on something." Family time becomes important. This film was lovely and it was fine, but I didn't get that experience that I was looking forward to.So yes, there are career decisions, especially when you're young, you say yes to because you'll gain something from it. But I think as I've gotten older, saying no is just as important.In that case, my lesson was that nobody's ever going to get to the end of life and go, "I went to Italy too many times."This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity."The Gutter" is now in theaters and on demand.

You Searched For "fast moving consumer goods" and got 12 results

The Fed 'moved too fast' with rate cuts and now risks reigniting inflation, analyst says

Filip De Mott

Google is moving fast again — but big problems cloud its path

Hasan Chowdhury

India Inc. stares at an earnings dearth in Q2, FMCG, auto, and consumer durables falter

Ira Alok Puranik

Fast food chains are locked in a 'value war' for US customers

Dominick Reuter

Why fast-food chains and big brands love loyalty programs

Nora Redmond

Gen Z's latest obsession: smelling good

Eve Upton-Clark

Here's how much more laptops, TVs, and smartphones could cost under Trump's proposed tariffs, consumer group says

Erin Snodgrass

Why the interest-rate cut isn't delivering the relief consumers were hoping for

Dan DeFrancesco

Sorry fast food fans — your burger is only going to get more expensive

Nora Redmond

Govt asks white goods industry to apply for manufacturing sops in large numbers

PTI

A consumer-packaged goods giant is harnessing AI to produce more toothpaste and dog food in less time

John Kell

Paul Reiser says he still doesn't know if Dr. Owens on 'Stranger Things' is good or bad

Olivia Singh

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides