Business

Touchscreens and self-checkout machines were designed to help customers. But restaurants and retailers are ditching them to humanize stores and attract workers.

The US-Canada trade war escalates as Canada imposes 15% to 50% tariffs on $20 billion of American goods, matching Trump's earlier duties. Trump threatens to ban Bombardier jet sales unless production moves stateside, while talks remain stalled over French-language content rules and auto tariffs, with both economies bracing for deepening economic fallout.

The FTC and 22 states sued Amazon, alleging the company secretly manipulated its advertising auction system since 2018 to overcharge 1.2 million advertisers by more than $20 billion, with costs passed to shoppers. Amazon strongly disputes the claims, calling the lawsuit misguided and citing advertiser savings from prioritizing ad relevancy over bid price.

Capital One disclosed in a court filing that it closed more than 300 accounts linked to the Trump Organization in 2021, citing anti-money laundering concerns. The bank's statement denies the Trump Organization's assertion that the account closures were politically motivated.

McDonald's has reported its slowest US sales growth since 2025, registering a mere 0.8% increase in the second quarter, a performance attributed to operational inefficiencies caused by an abundance of promotional offerings. This significant development has led to immediate leadership changes, including the departure of US President Joe Erlinger, and a strategic pivot towards re-evaluating its menu and implementing new app-based deals to re-engage its frequent customers.

Financial experts are encouraging households to conduct a mid-year budget reset to adapt to rising living costs and shifting personal priorities.

Microsoft has announced the elimination of approximately 4,800 jobs, representing 2.1% of its global workforce, with its Xbox gaming unit experiencing significant reductions. The company attributes these cuts to a rapidly changing business environment and the necessity to 'reset Xbox' amid evolving technological landscapes and increased investment in artificial intelligence.

Seattle's Black community is poised to commemorate Juneteenth with a series of events that integrate the city's role as a host for the United States Men's National Team with cultural and community celebrations. This initiative features a public watch party, a market for Black-owned businesses, and specialized programming at local restaurants and bars, all designed to highlight community contributions and foster economic empowerment.

Fox has announced its acquisition of Roku, the prominent streaming platform, in a substantial $22 billion transaction. This strategic move aims to merge Fox's diverse content portfolio, including sports, news, and entertainment, with Roku's extensive device ecosystem and user base, positioning the combined entity as the third-largest player in US television by viewing share.

Elon Musk is projected to become the world's first trillionaire, with his combined holdings in Tesla and SpaceX potentially valuing his net worth at $1.11 trillion.