Several indicators show parallels between today’s housing market and that of the mid-2000s. Some similarities include low affordability, falling furniture sales, and an investor pullback. Some differences, however, include tighter lending standards and fewer ARMs. It is never a good idea to compare economic cycles. There are so many moving parts in geopolitics and policy…

Microsoft shut down an internal discussion about the Israel-Hamas war. An employee criticized what they felt were one-sided statements from company leaders. Internal emails show some comments made by company executives about the conflict. According to internal messages, Microsoft shut down a discussion among employees about the Israel-Hamas conflict. One employee wrote on Microsoft’s internal…

Prologis is set to build out a huge EV charging station in Southern California. Deal shows how commercial vehicles will need large, dedicated charging facilities. Government rules and incentives are spurring EV charging station development. The world’s largest warehouse owner is capitalizing on the most significant transformation of America’s highways since the invention of the…

Data from marketing consultancy Ebiquity suggests most big advertisers have stopped spending on X. Ebiquity works with 70 of the top 100 advertisers. Just 2 of those advertised on X last month. X CEO Linda Yaccarino and Elon Musk recently stated that 90% of its big advertisers had returned. According to new data provided exclusively…

A New York jury last week said Google discriminated against one of its female cloud executives. Ulku Rowe sued her employer  in 2019, alleging she was paid less than male peers. Google was ordered to pay Rowe over $1 million in damages. A federal jury in New York decided on Friday that Google discriminated against…

Flexport’s layoffs came as a relief to some workers who had experienced multiple acquisitions. Workers said they lost pay when they were transferred from Shopify to Flexport. A number of executives have left Flexport in recent weeks, including former CEO Dave Clark. Some people were relieved by Flexport’s layoffs. Former Deliverr and Shopify employees told…

Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke posted an internal memo saying employee side gigs should have limits. He said that Shopify required their full attention and that conflicts of interest were possible. Shopify has long encouraged employees to become entrepreneurs in their own right. Tobi Lütke, CEO of Shopify, issued a company-wide memo on Wednesday discouraging employees…

Mortgage interest rates are relatively high right now, hovering around 7%. But as successful investors have taught us, it’s possible to score lower rates. One strategy is to do seller financing. Another is to do subject-to financing. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is just above 7% as of September 2023. Even in this relatively…

VMware employees received an email this week about their options when Broadcom’s acquisition closes. Employees will either get a Broadcom offer, transitional offer, or severance. Employees, including managers, are unlikely to have a choice in what option they end up with. Employees at VMware received an email this week outlining their potential fates after Broadcom…