Listen below or on the go on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Costco (COST) reports a 7.4% rise in June net sales, hikes membership fees. (00:29) HubSpot (HUBS) sinks after report Google shelved acquisition plans. (01:30) NBA sets up deals with NBC, Amazon, ESPN — but TNT can still match: Athletic.…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Brussels has accepted measures from Apple that give the iPhone maker’s rivals access to its contactless payments technology system and ensures the company avoids a hefty fine at the end of a…

A staggering 24 hours that cracked the political foundation of Joe Biden’s reelection bid leave him facing the most high-pressure presidential news conference in modern history on Thursday. The stakes for Biden’s solo appearance at the conclusion of the NATO summit multiplied by the hour as his political position unraveled…

Fertility rates are declining worldwide. Yes, there are nations where there are still far more children than the replacement rate of at least 2.1 children per woman. But industrialized economies are all well below replacement level. United States Census data indicates that the percentage of women between ages 30 and…

More bad news is on the horizon for Florida homeowners. On top of insurers pulling out of the state altogether, Florida’s state-created Citizen’s Property Insurance just voted to raise rates by 14% across the state. The board of governors for the insurance corporation voted unanimously earlier in June. Raising the…

PARIS — Samsung launched the Galaxy Ring on Wednesday, its first foray into “smart rings.” The South Korean tech giant is looking to integrate its products — such as smartphones and wearables — and offer health-tracking features to rival Apple’s push into the space.The Galaxy Ring, which Samsung has teased…

Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: Tesla — The electric vehicle maker gained nearly 1% after Goldman Sachs increased its stock price target by $73 to $248 per share on better than expected second quarter deliveries. Tesla has booked 10-straight days of gains. Though Goldman increased its…

Starbucks is hoping to attract customers with a little gift: a free reusable straw. On Wednesday, anyone who buys a cold handcrafted drink, like an iced coffee or its new energy drinks, of any size will get a free, brightly colored reusable straw. The giveaway is part of Starbucks’ broader…

Here at the Lab, we have a long beneficial position in the shares of Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) (OTCPK:UNLYF). That said, it has been a while since our last coverage. In the meantime, our team has continued investigating the EU Consumer Staple sector with comments on Nestle and Danone and follow-up…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.An Israeli air strike near a school in the southern Gaza Strip killed about 30 people late on Tuesday, mostly civilians sheltering at the facility, according to authorities in the Hamas-controlled enclave.…