CNN Business/Consumer

By Jordan Valinsky, CNN New York (CNN) — Bahama Breeze abruptly closed more than one-third of its restaurants this week, further compounding the casual dining segment’s problems. Darden Restaurants, Bahama Breeze’s parent company, said in a statement that the closure of 15 locations was the “right decision because it will allow Bahama Breeze to focus

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Keeping cool could cost a lot more this summer — yet another financial squeeze for many inflation-weary consumers. Americans can expect to shell out a record $784, on average, to cool their homes from June through September, according to a new analysis by the National Energy Assistance Directors Association

By Jordan Valinsky, CNN New York (CNN) — Two of the biggest cable companies in the United States have agreed to merge, marking a major milestone in consolidation as cord-cutters continue to ditch their pricey TV packages, thus forcing companies to adjust to their dwindling futures. Charter Communications, which operates under the Spectrum branding, is

By David Goldman and Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — If you thought President Donald Trump’s trade war was over, he has some news for you: Tariffs are going up again. At the conclusion of his Middle East trip Friday, Trump acknowledged that trade negotiations are progressing too slowly to accommodate every country that wants to

By Matt Egan, CNN New York (CNN) — UnitedHealth Group, one of America’s biggest corporations and a member of the exclusive Dow Jones Industrial Average, is suddenly unraveling. The crisis engulfing UnitedHealth hit a crescendo this week when CEO Andrew Witty stepped down abruptly for “personal reasons.” UnitedHealth also swiftly abandoned its financial guidance, blaming

By Bryan Mena and Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN (CNN) — Spending at US retailers slowed sharply last month to 0.1%, a sharp decline from last month’s revised 1.7% monthly surge in sales after shoppers rushed to beat President Donald Trump’s stiff tariffs earlier in the spring, in a sign that consumer demand may be fraying around

By Alicia Wallace, CNN (CNN) — US wholesale prices sank in April, logging their biggest monthly drop since Covid stifled the economy, as tariffs put a squeeze on profit margins, according to new data released Thursday. The Producer Price Index, a closely watched measurement of wholesale inflation, showed Thursday that the prices paid to US

By Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN New York (CNN) — Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, warned that is not immune from President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It plans to raise prices on some items as Trump’s global trade war sends the company’s costs higher. “We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible. But

By Jordan Valinsky, CNN New York (CNN) — President Donald Trump isn’t pleased with Apple CEO Tim Cook’s plan to manufacture iPhones bound for the United States at newly built plants in India. “I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said Thursday in Qatar. “I said to him, ‘Tim, you’re my friend.

By Anna Cooban, Betsy Klein, Elisabeth Buchwald and Rhea Mogul, CNN London (CNN) — President Donald Trump said on Thursday that India has offered to eliminate tariffs on the United States as part of a potential trade deal – but New Delhi soon poured cold water on Trump’s claims, saying negotiations were not complete. “India

By Liam Reilly, CNN (CNN) — Max will rebrand once more as HBO Max. Speaking on stage during Warner Bros. Discovery’s Upfront presentation to advertisers, HBO chief executive Casey Bloys announced that the company’s streaming platform, Max, would revert to its previous name, HBO Max. WBD executives emphasized that the move is an attempt to

By Hadas Gold, CNN (CNN) — Some X users on Wednesday asked Grok – the AI chatbot available through Elon Musk’s social media platform – questions about simple topics like baseball players or videos of fish being flushed down toilets. One user just asked Grok to talk like a pirate. In response, they got replies

By Marshall Cohen, CNN Washington (CNN) — A voting technology firm suing Fox News for defamation over its 2020 election coverage claimed senior corporate executives, including Rupert Murdoch, intentionally destroyed damning evidence in the case, according to court filings. Smartmatic levied the stunning new allegations on Wednesday, alleging in court filings that Fox “orchestrated the

By Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN New York (CNN) — US ports are facing a dramatic slowdown in cargo – but they could see the exact opposite in a matter of weeks. Starting Wednesday, cargo leaving China bound for the United States will carry a 30% tariff rate – a reduction from the higher 145% tariff that

By Marshall Cohen, CNN Washington (CNN) — Fox News lawyers will soon receive new documents that could bolster their defense against Smartmatic’s defamation lawsuit over the 2020 election. Reversing a lower court decision, a New York appeals court ruled Tuesday that Fox News can obtain disputed materials about a separate federal bribery indictment against senior

By Lisa Eadicicco, CNN (CNN) — Have you ever had Siri go off unintentionally? If so, you might be entitled to some cash from Apple. The possible payout is part of a $95 million settlement stemming from a class action lawsuit alleging that accidental Siri activations enabled the digital assistant to listen in on private

By Clare Duffy, CNN New York (CNN) — The newest iPhones might come with a more expensive price tag this fall — even if the sticker price doesn’t change. Some analysts expect Apple to raise iPhone prices for its new lineup because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. And the company is considering as much, according

By Anna Cooban, CNN London (CNN) — The latest installment of the Donald Trump Cinematic Universe has an audacious plot line: The protagonist wants to put a 100% tariff on all movies made abroad to restore a troubled American film industry to its former glory. But the critics aren’t impressed. “The idea is dumb,” Howard

By Anna Cooban, CNN London (CNN) — Burberry is aiming to slash 18% of its global workforce by 2027 as it looks for ways to cut costs and revive its ailing business. The British luxury fashion house said Wednesday that around 1,700 jobs were at risk as it reported a loss of £3 million ($4