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State-by-state complexity and missed deadlines can quietly derail even the most promising startups without proactive systems in place.

Inspiration alone isn’t the answer for high performance amid change. Routinizing change may be.

The global K-pop phenomenon BTS has officially launched its comeback era with a new album, a historic livestream, and one of the most anticipated world tours. But the route to market dominance is proving more turbulent than the “Army” anticipated.On March 20, the seven-member Korean boy band BTS (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook) released Arirang, their first full-group project in nearly 4 years. While the album is a digital hit, shattering records on Apple Music and Spotify, a controversial crowd count moment at their Seoul concert had Hybe Co. investors scrambling.Meanwhile, a recent announcement from Netflix suggests that the market reacted too quickly to the band’s strength and faith in its very loyal and extended fanbase.Digital dominance vs physical frictionBTS, which was not able to perform as a group due to mandatory military service in South Korea, has now returned with their fifth studio album, Arirang, a project that blends modern pop with traditional Korean elements.Digitally, the band remains untouchable. Arirang, a 14-track project, achieved the biggest first-day streaming debut for a pop group in Apple Music history.On Spotify, the album clocked over 110 million streams in 24 hours, making it the most streamed K-Pop album in Spotify history and the most-streamed album in a single day in 2026.But the physical reality in South Korea left investors uneasy. Their BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang, a large-scale concert held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, opposite the main entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace, reported underwhelming numbers compared to the expected monumental turnout.More Streaming:Paramount Warner Bros. hostile bid has a catch for cable networksApple TV adds key feature Netflix droppedFacebook makes daring move to challenge Disney, NetflixAccording to Hybe, the managing company for BTS, 104,000 people were in the vicinity of Gwanghwamun Square; however, Seoul government crowd-tracking data showed only 60,000 people halfway through the concert, the New York Times reported. The downturn raised questions and even led Hybe to lose around 15% of its stock on Monday, as the market reacted to fears of waning demand. The stock rebounded in the days following the loss and was up 3.9% on Wednesday.

BTS Arirang comeback live stream had 18.4 million viewers.Shutterstock

The Netflix factor: a live recordThe comeback concert’s Seoul location was a glimpse into the theme of their latest album, blending history with the modern world.The concert was streamed live on Netflix to global audiences in more than 190 countries. It was the platform’s first live broadcast of a music concert event. And the move comes as Netflix is trying to ride the Korean wave hard after the immense success of K-pop Demon Hunters, which won the Oscar for its original song, “Golden.”The entertainment giant Netflix confirmed that the concert drew a staggering 18.4 million concurrent viewers and has reached 2.62 billion global social impressions “just across our owned Netflix channels”. After this definite win, Netflix is now looking forward to the band’s upcoming documentary, BTS: The Return, which will premiere on March 27. The documentary will include behind-the-scenes footage of their new album, Arirang, and of their preparation for the comeback concert, as well as a deep dive into the group’s return.“Life changed, love didn’t”While the stock market panicked, a different emotional story was unfolding digitally. On the one hand, Army (BTS’s official fandom) ensured that the album broke all streaming records through constant posting across multiple social media platforms. On the other hand, fans noted that while their lives have changed since 2022, their loyalty remains a fixed constant. On multiple subreddits, fans have been quick to note their initial surprise at the album’s departure from BTS’s previous works.But day two and day three posts showed a completely different picture, with listeners claiming that a second listening brought tears or made them think of reuniting with an old friend. Also noting that the songs were made for performance, and they looked forward to the world tour.Take a look at the song list from Arirang:Body to bodyHooliganAliensFYA2.0No. 29SwimMerry Go RoundNORMALLike AnimalsThey don’t know ‘bout usOne More NightPleaseInto the SunNYC soft launch and BTS world tourThree days after the launch of Arirang and the comeback concert in Seoul, BTS pivoted to the US this week. On March 23, the group performed an ultra-exclusive Spotify x BTS: Swimside set for 1,000 top listeners, followed by a Q&A moderated by Suki Waterhouse.This set the stage for their upcoming 82-show world tour, covering 34 regions and 82 concerts across Asia, North America, Europe, South America, and Australia. The tour will begin in Goyang, South Korea, on April 9.And industry analysts are projecting the world tour craze to exceed Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, generating more than $800 million in ticket and merchandise revenue, Bloomberg reported.Analysts at IBK Securities project the tour could generate upwards of $2 billion in revenue, with just 82 shows. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had 149 shows and generated over $2 billion in revenue. And with Bighit’s official site teasing “more to come,” the revenue count can aggressively increase as more locations are added to the list.Related: YouTube TV just removed a major hurdle for millions of cord-cutters

The bankruptcy of the FanDuel branded networks has thrown the regional sports networks of MLB into uncertainty. But, data shows viewership and advertisers running to MLB.

Jim Cramer has long preached that there’s always a bull market somewhere. You just have to know where to look. At the same time, you should know when it is a good time to do nothing. As the longtime host of Mad Money and co-anchor of Squawk on the Street, he’s built a reputation as one of Wall Street’s most influential and outspoken voices. He’s also the co-founder of TheStreet and runs the CNBC Investing Club, where he guides retail investors on long-term wealth building.But Cramer’s edge doesn’t come from television. It comes from performance. Before stepping into media, he ran Cramer Berkowitz, delivering a 24% average annual return after fees over 14 years, with standout years like 2000, when the fund gained over 36% while markets struggled. He retired in 2001 with one of the strongest track records in the hedge fund space.Now, markets are flashing mixed signals by the day. And that’s exactly what’s putting investors on edge. According to Cramer, the recent rally may not be telling the full story. So what’s different now? And why is he urging caution?

Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images

Cramer warns markets are becoming impossible to tradeAs a trader myself with several years of watching the markets, this is one of the most unusual market environments I’ve seen. As per CNBC, on Tuesday, March 25th, Cramer urged investors to stay on the sidelines because ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to cloud market direction. “We’ve got so many narratives going thanks to this war that I think trying to trade off it may be a waste of time and a waste of money,” he said. “Here’s the bottom line: it makes more sense to sit on your hands.”According to Cramer, conflicting signals between Donald Trump and Tehran have made it nearly impossible to confidently bet on how the conflict will unfold.Tuesday, March 24th, the trading session captured that confusion perfectly. Energy giants like Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chevron Corporation (CVX) climbed as reports pointed to potential military escalation in the Middle East.But at the same time, economically sensitive names also rallied.Banks like JPMorgan (JPM) moved higher, while consumer giant Walmart (WMT) also gained ground after comments suggesting ongoing negotiations with Iran.That kind of market behavior doesn’t usually happen.Oil stocks typically rise when conflict intensifies, while financials and retailers tend to climb when investors expect stability or resolution.More Oil and Gas:The world’s biggest gas field matters just as much as oil right nowGoldman Sachs reveals top oil stocks to buy for 2026U.S. economy will show resilience, despite rising oil pricesSo why are both happening at once?Cramer didn’t mince words:”It has been impossible to explain how these forces can exist at the same time… one group of buyers must be wrong.”The market is flashing conflicting signalsThe unusual rally across multiple sectors highlights just how uncertain the current environment has become.Energy stocks are being supported by fears of supply disruptions. At the same time, broader equities are reacting to hopes that diplomacy could ease tensions.That push and pull is creating a market that feels unstable and difficult to trust.Related: Dave Ramsey gives investors blunt advice amid Iran war”It’s difficult to trade in a world where, in the morning, we are beating our ploughshares into swords and in the afternoon we beat them right back,” Cramer said.In other words, sentiment is shifting too quickly. And that makes short-term trading especially risky. Even the broader market reflected that uncertainty.The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Tuesday, reversing part of Monday’s rally, which had been fueled by optimism around a potential halt to attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure. Dow Jones declined 0.2%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.8%.What Cramer expects next for stocksCramer’s caution doesn’t stop at the current volatility. He’s also questioning the strength behind recent market rallies.In our previous report, after a sharp sell-off tied to rising geopolitical tensions, we saw stocks bounce back as investors grew hopeful that the conflict could ease.But Cramer believed that the rebound was not built on confidence. Instead, he says it’s being driven by fear.On March 24, he described the rally on X as :”One of the most hated rallies I have ever seen.”That kind of language points to a deeper issue. FOMO-driven buying rather than conviction.The rally earlier in the week saw the Nasdaq Composite climb around 1.3%, while oil prices dropped sharply, with Brent crude falling nearly 11%.That decline in crude oil helped ease inflation concerns and supported equities. But still, Cramer wasn’t convinced the optimism would last.“By the end of the day, it felt like the whole rally reeked of fear,” he said.His concern? Investors who are underexposed may be chasing the market higher. Not because they believe in a resolution, but because they don’t want to miss out.And until there’s a clear end to the conflict, that kind of rally may not hold.Cramer also pointed to oil as a key signal.In a recent post, he noted that falling oil prices could be telling a different story than the headlines, one that investors shouldn’t ignore.So where does that leave the market now?As most know, in the market, most money is made by sitting on your hands. And also according to Cramer, this is a place where patience may be the most valuable strategy.Because until the fog of war clears, one thing seems certain: Someone in this market is wrong, and it’s only a matter of time before that becomes clear.Related: Jim Cramer sounds the alarm on stock market rally

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The yield agreement, seen as a step toward finally advancing the stalled market structure bill, hasn’t yet fully won industry support.

AT&T has rapidly lost phone customers as rivals ramp up deals and discounts on wireless services. Amid these challenges, the carrier risks further hurting loyalty after recently warning customers of a major change to its wireless plans. Last year, Verizon and AT&T doubled down on device promotions and free line offers to lure and retain customers amid elevated switching behavior in the wireless market. More consumers have been searching for lower phone plan prices amid economic uncertainty, even exploring wireless service from nontraditional providers such as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and cable TV/internet companies. Amid shifting customer behavior, recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data found that wireless service prices have decreased over the past year.“It’s a perfect storm in wireless right now, and for a change, it’s the consumer that is benefiting,” said MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett, in a statement to The Washington Post in December. As competition heats up, AT&T’s postpaid phone churn (the percentage of customers who cut their phone service) hit 0.98% in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 0.85% in the same quarter a year earlier, according to the company’s most recent earnings report. Also, 255,000 prepaid phone customers ended their service during the quarter, raising churn in that segment to 2.89%, up 16 percentage points year over year. The losses come after AT&T decreased and restricted its autopay discount for some customers in April last year, a change that sparked backlash. In December, it also hiked a key fee that customers pay for on their monthly bills.The carrier has also been receiving criticism for allegedly bait-and-switching customers by hitting them with larger-than-anticipated monthly bills after getting them to switch from rivals with generous discounts. AT&T warns customers of upcoming wireless plan price hikesDespite facing higher churn, AT&T has decided to raise its wireless plan prices. In a new message on its website, the carrier warns customers that prices for “retired unlimited plans” will increase in April. These are wireless plans that were active before July 24, 2025.AT&T customers who have a single phone line on one of these plans will see their monthly price increase by $10. Those with multiple phone lines will be hit with a $20 price hike (this will be the total monthly increase, not per line).AT&T said that these price increases will help it “continue providing reliable network service, quality products, and great customer experiences.”Related: AT&T rolls out major upgrade for customers, challenging T-MobileTo lessen the blow of the price hikes, it is adding an extra 20GB of hotspot data per month to these older phone plans. The move from AT&T comes after it introduced three new phone plans earlier this month, which include AT&T Value 2.0, AT&T Extra 2.0 and AT&T Premium 2.0. In a press release, the carrier states that customers can get “real value” with this new lineup, “without having to choose the highest-priced plan.”AT&T advertised these new plans in its price-hike announcement, hinting that the change is the carrier’s way of encouraging customers to upgrade. 

AT&T is raising prices for “retired unlimited” phone plans after launching newer ones on March 13.Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock

Customer backlash puts AT&T at risk of more losses In a statement to TheStreet, RTMNexus CEO Dominick Miserandino said that AT&T’s latest price increase is “a massive gamble.”“AT&T is playing a high-stakes game of chicken with its own customers,” said Miserandino. “Raising prices while you’re already fighting record churn is a massive gamble. They are basically trying to tax the customers who are too busy to switch plans.”Some AT&T customers are already contemplating jumping ship from the company, as many took to social media platform Reddit to express irritation over the change. “I’m very upset. This week they roll out new plans, then 2 days later they screw longtime customers by jacking up our rates, AND then cut the discount to public sector workers (health/teachers/etc), I may finally move to Visible+ Pro in protest,” wrote one AT&T customer.More Telecom News:T-Mobile drops 2 new phone plans to stop customers from fleeingVerizon CEO shifts gears after 2.25 million customers departAT&T closes billion-dollar acquisition to win back customers“Might finally be time to switch to T-Mobile or an mvno,” wrote another.“With 4 lines it will be a $20 increase! That’s insane. I’ve been with ATT forever, but guess I will need to start looking at alternatives,” wrote another AT&T customer. Frustrating customers is the last thing AT&T needs. Last year, a WhistleOut survey found that the carrier is already at risk of losing millions of customers due to high mobile plan prices. How rising wireless costs are impacting customer behavior:Consumers pay around $80 per monthfora single line on an AT&T phone plan.By comparison, MVNO customers spend roughly $44 per month for a single line.About 42% of customers across AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon report that their monthly billshave spiked over the past year, which is 7% higher than average. Rising costs are pushing 58% of these customers to think about switchingcarriers.Around 34% say they are considering joining an MVNO in the near future. Elevated mobile plan prices could cause AT&T to lose69.4 million customers. 
Source: WhistleOut
Related: T-Mobile angers customers as it quietly expands major device fee

Looking for help with today’s New York Times Pips? We’ll walk you through today’s puzzle and help you match dominoes to tiles.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell just last week downplayed stagflation fears but Wall Street is growing increasingly uneasy as rising energy prices tied to the Iran War threaten to reignite inflation and jolt the U.S. economy into a recession.Economists have sharply raised their recession odds in recent days, warning that an oil-driven inflation shock could complicate the Fed’s attempt to balance the risks of higher price pressures and the softening labor market.Moody’s Analytics in a new note forecasts a near 50% chance of an economic downturn in the next 12 months, far higher than the typical 20% baseline.Others, as first reported by CNBC March 25, have also lifted their forecasts:Wilmington Trust:45%Goldman Sachs:30%. EY Parthenon:40%, with the caveat that “those odds could rapidly rise in the event of a more prolonged or severe Middle East conflict.”The concern?Not just slower growth but that higher oil prices that could feed into broader sticky inflation thus forcing the Fed to keep benchmark interest rates higher for longer.Note: History has shown us that the initial hit of energy shock passes very quickly into core prices.“The negative consequences of higher oil prices happen first and fast,” Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi said. “I’m concerned recession risks are uncomfortably high and on the rise,” Zandi said. “Recession is a real threat here.”He and others say a diplomatic resolution to the Iran War that restores oil flows could prevent the worst-case scenario.“If oil prices stay where they are through the second quarter, that’ll push us into a recession,” Zandi added.What the Fed dual mandate requires The Fed’s dual congressional mandate requires it to balance full employment and price stability.Lower interest rates support hiring but can fuel inflation.Higher rates cool prices but can weaken the job market.The two goals often conflict, operate on different timelines and are influenced by unpredictable global events like pandemics and wars. Fed cites inflation risk from Iran WarEven before the outbreak of the Iran War, the Fed faced a dilemma from worrisome risks to both sides of its congressional mandate: higher unemployment rates and sticky inflation from tariffs.More Fed:J.P. Morgan pushes back on Fed’s 2026 rate-cut forecastThe Federal Reserve’s 11-1 vote on March 18 to hold the benchmark Federal Funds Rate steady at 3.50% to 3.75% underscores the central tension now driving U.S. monetary policy.Investors are no longer debating whether risks to the Fed’s dual mandate exist but which risk matters more to the U.S. economy.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York via FRED®

Powell pushes back on stagflation concernsThe Iran War, by driving energy costs sharply higher, has reopened the traditional stagflation dilemma of rising prices with slowing growth.In its March 18 statement, the Federal Open Market Committee said “uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated” because the “implications of developments in the Middle East for the U.S. economy.’’The expected increase in inflation and lower growth from the oil shock has prompted calls of stagflation threats, which conjures up the dreaded 1970s economy that took years to rebound.As I reported, Powell told reporters after the March 18 FOMC meeting that he didn’t see any current signs of stagflation.The Fed Chair said the U.S. economy “is doing a good job,’’ despite the many challenges. Comparisons to the 1970s debacle were erroneous, Powell insisted.“I would reserve the term stagflation for a much more serious set of circumstances,” he said. “That is not the situation we’re in.”“I always have to point out that that was a 1970s term at a time when unemployment was in double figures, and inflation was really high,” Powell said. “That’s not the case right now.”Fed’s 2026 forecast on interest rates unchangedThe Fed’s March median Summary of Economic Projections or “dot plot” calls for a single 25 basis point rate cut in 2026, and an additional 25 basis point cut in 2027, the same as the December 2025 forecast.Related: Morgan Stanley issues stark warning on Fed rate outlookBut Powell noted in his press conference that the rate cut was not guaranteed, especially if the projected decrease in inflation doesn’t occur. “While the Fed didn’t take rate cuts completely off the table, the rates market did,’’ Morgan Stanley wrote in a recent note. “Powell’s focus on inflation risk and similar concerns from other central banks this past week to bond market pricing to a 40% chance of a Fed rate hike by October.”Labor-market risk adds to economic concernsBeyond energy prices, economists say the labor market is a key pressure point.The U.S. economy created just 116,000 jobs for all of 2025 and lost 92,000 in February. While the unemployment rate has held steady at 4.4%, that’s largely been because of what’s known as the “no hire, no fire” trend in which employers aren’t hiring but also not firing staff.Excluding the robust gains in healthcare-related fields — more than 700,000 in all — payrolls outside those areas declined by more than half a million over the past year.“I think there’s much less inflation risk than [Fed officials] think, and more risk to the labor market to the downside than they stated,” Luke Tilley, chief economist at Wilmington Trust, said.Dan North, senior U.S. economist at Allianz, said the aging U.S. population will increase the need for healthcare jobs in the future.“The demand for those jobs is going to be there,’’ North said. “But it’s no way to run a railroad if you’re doing it on one engine.”Fed’s Waller urges caution on war impactFederal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he would support interest-rate cuts later this year if the labor market continued to weaken.But he also warned in a CNBC interview March 20 that energy supply disruptions from the Iran War could stoke inflation, which he had expected to decline this year as the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs faded.“Caution is warranted,” Waller said. “It doesn’t mean that I’m going to stay put for the rest of the year. I just want to wait and see where this goes.”Sustained Iran War heightens recession riskFor investors, consumers and policymakers, the economic path forward appears to be narrowing its options as the Iran War continues.If energy prices — by the barrel and at the gas pump — remain elevated and begin fueling higher inflation across multiple sectors, then the Fed’s interest-rate pause may continue even if the labor market weakens.This tension raises the risk of a monetary policy mistake, leaving the U.S. economy — facing increasingly polarized midterm elections — vulnerable to both recessionary and persistent inflationary pressures.Related: Goldman Sachs resets recession risks for 2026