BUSINESS

The NBA has a problem incentivizing teams to win. Promotion and relegation could change that and make the draft that much more interesting.

Hershey’s April Fools’ Day reversal on Reese’s classic recipe is the most important brand trust story in food retail this year.

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealThis season’s weather encourages many outdoor activities, from outdoor hikes to picnics at the park. It’s also a great time to start enjoying your patio again. While grilling is typically considered a summer activity, there’s no reason you can’t start now, especially when you see a deal like Walmart’s sale on the Blackstone Four Burner Outdoor Griddle.Normally $344, Walmart is selling this bestselling model for just $297, right in time for grilling season. The best part? It even comes with a hard cover, which you usually have to purchase separately. It features a rolled steel cooktop with four independently controlled cooking zones, so you can have four different foods going at the same time. One shopper said that cooking on it made them feel like “the Gordon Ramsay of suburbia,” and we’re not sure praise gets any higher than that.Blackstone 4-Burner Outdoor Griddle, $297 (was $344) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?If you’re hoping to cook for a crowd of family or friends, this griddle can get the job done. It measures 66.5 inches long, 26.25 inches wide, and 38.39 inches high and has an impressive 768-square-inch Omnivore griddle plate that delivers 38,000 BTUs. You won’t have to worry if it’s windy on cookout day, thanks to built-in wind guards. The sale is on the propane version, so you’ll just need to hook up a canister, and you’re ready to go.This grill has plenty of bells and whistles along with its powerful cooking abilities. It’s on lockable wheels, so you can easily relocate it anywhere you like without having to worry about it rolling as you cook. It has a shelf on each side so you can keep sauces, plates of meat to grill, and anything else you may need close at hand. The shelves have hooks built to hold tools, as well as a magnetic tool bar on the left side. There’s even a paper towel holder built in, in case you need to wipe up any spills.While this grill does require assembly, shoppers say it’s easy and takes about an hour. Some shoppers mention that it’s heavy, so you may want to have a friend or family member on hand to help with the process.Details to knowMeasurements: 66.5 inches long, 26.25 inches wide, and 38.39 inches high.Cooktop surface size: 36 inches. Features: Two side shelves, paper towel holder, side shelf hooks for tools, magnetic tool bar.Related: Target is selling a 3-in-1 fire table for $100 that works as a cooler and mini BBQ grillShoppers not only love this griddle, but also take the time to write colorful reviews about it. One wrote, “I bought this for my husband, now I eat like a queen,” and went on to say, “Bought this Blackstone 36-inch griddle for my husband and accidentally upgraded our entire lifestyle. The four burners heat evenly, there’s tons of cooking space, and he looks genuinely happy flipping food like a backyard hibachi chef.”A second shopper wrote, “I bought the Blackstone 36-inch griddle, and I swear it made me feel like the Gordon Ramsay of suburbia. I’m out here flipping burgers and pretending I’m in a Blackstone commercial while the neighbors peek over the fence with grill envy. If you’re on the fence — get off it. Get this thing.”Shop more deals Blackstone 2-Burner Outdoor Griddle, $144 at WalmartBlackstone Griddle Accessory Kit, $20 at WalmartBlackstone Griddle Seasoning and Cast Iron Conditioner, $10 at WalmartBecome the Gordon Ramsay of your own backyard with the Blackstone Four Burner Outdoor Griddle. At just $297, it’s a fantastic deal that you’ll enjoy all summer long.

“Reasons to worry.”That is Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf’s curt, three-word take on the U.S. economy, despite reiterating the strength of the current macro backdrop. Consumers are still spending, employment numbers remain relatively strong, and wages are growing, meaning businesses are still in good shape, Scharf argued in a pertinent interview on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria.” However, he also warned that the markets are showing “fragility or a nervousness” that hasn’t quite spilled over into the economy.That tension was at the core of Scharf’s message.On the one hand, he laid out the case that Wells Fargo is seeing robust credit quality and steady consumer borrowing amid a resilient economic backdrop. On the flip side, he feels that investors and company management continue to ignore the evolving list of risks quietly building beneath the surface.Front and center are the impacts of the Iran conflict on global markets and oil prices, along with growing uncertainty around borrowing and investment. For context, since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, Reuters reported, Brent crude oil and WTIare up nearly 60%, while average U.S. gasoline prices surged 36% in March alone. Also, U.S. gas prices have shot up above $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022.Additionally, investors are increasingly taking a “show-me” attitude toward the AI trade, especially as capital expenditures continue to balloon.So even if the U.S. economy still looks solid on the surface, it’s imperative not to turn a blind eye to the warning signs flashing underneath. 

Charles Scharf flags risks building beneath a strong economy, citing “reasons to worry” for investors now.Michael M. Santiago on Getty Images

What the latest U.S. economic data sayThe latest U.S. economic data still point to resilience, though growth numbers are sluggish, inflation levels remain sticky, and activity remains uneven beneath the surface.Jobs: The latest official BLS print showed February payrolls down by 92,000, with unemployment at 4.4% (a remarkably weak report, with clear signs that hiring levels have cooled).Inflation: February CPI rose 2.4% year over year and 0.3% month over month, in line with forecasts; core CPI held at 2.5%.Consumer spending:February retail salesclimbed 0.6%, topping forecasts of 0.5%, per Reuters; core sales rose 0.5%, underscoring that consumers are still holding up.GDP:Fourth-quarter growth was revised to 0.7% from 1.4%, Reuters noted, a downside miss that points to a steep late-2025 sluggishness in demand.Manufacturing/services:ISM manufacturingPMI hit 52.7 in March, up again, according to ISM. Services stood at 56.1 in February, so both remain in an expansionary phase. Why Wells Fargo’s Charles Scharf still sees a strong economyFor all the nervousness around the Iran war, oil, and market volatility, Scharf still feels the economy held up a lot better than many investors would expect. He argued that the real economy and the market mood are telling different stories at this point.”The economy is still extremely strong,” Scharf said. MoreEconomy:Goldman Sachs resets oil-price bets as war rages onHow Fed meeting impacts mortgage rates, housing marketIMF drops blunt warning on US economy”When we look at it, consumers are still spending, even with increases in oil prices, they’re spending, you know, 20-30 percent more on oil, but they haven’t stopped spending on everything else,” he added. “Delinquencies are still strong, employment is strong, wages are still growing, and businesses are in good shape.”That is the core of Scharf’s view: The risks to the economy aren’t imaginary by any stretch of the imagination, but the core data suggest that Wells Fargo’s customer base still looks resilient. Consumers are borrowing at virtually the same rate, while credit quality remains as robust as ever, and the broader health of both households and businesses hasn’t yet broken down. The 4 risks Charles Scharf says investors should watchThough the economy is still holding up, Scharf pointed to multiple fault lines investors can’t ignore.Here are four of the major risks he identified that could become serious if market stress spreads. War-driven market weakness: Scharf said markets are showing fragility, even though it hasn’t yet shown up in the numbers.Higher oil prices: He said that a prolonged war and additional spikes in oil could eventually impact spending and confidence much harder.Business hesitation: Scharf argued that companies are becoming much more cautious about borrowing, investing, and building inventories amid current uncertainty.
According to the ISM, the Inventories Index tanked to 47.1 in March, and none of the six big sectors grew inventories, highlighting that companies are keeping stock lean.
Credit risk in hot markets: He flagged data-center lending and private credit as major areas of concern, making it critical to separate the wheat from the chaff.
For some color, private credit accounts for nearly 30% of the U.S. leveraged-finance market, Reuters notes, up substantially from the 13% mark a decade ago. Also, Morgan Stanley forecasts annual defaults to hit 8% between the second half of 2026 and the first half of next year.
What it means for investorsFor investors, it becomes doubly important to stay alert to sectors sensitive to growing uncertainty, particularly banks, credit markets, energy, and stocks tied to economic cycles.Though the economy is still mostly strong, Scharf argues that markets are acting more skittish than the underlying data suggest. There’s a clear risk that hesitation spreads. If businesses continue to delay investments, trim inventories, and pull back on borrowing, market anxiety will become a major economic problem.For market watchers, it’s imperative to track the key pressure points to determine whether we’re witnessing a temporary market scare or something bigger.Growth and inflation forecasts are starting to shiftFederal Reserve: The Fed recently bumped its 2026 GDP median to 2.4% from 2.3% in December, while also raising its 2026 PCE inflation to 2.7% from 2.4%.Atlanta Fed GDPNow: The real-time Q1 GDP estimate was cut to 1.6% on April 2, down from 3.0% on Feb. 27, a sharp cool-off in the growth nowcast.OECD: Its March interim outlook forecasts U.S. 2026 headline inflation at 4.2%, up 1.2 percentage points from December, with U.S. GDP at 2.0% in 2026 and 1.7% in 2027. Bank of America: BofA estimates PCE might approach 4% this quarter, per MarketWatch, and sees the end-2027 price level 0.5% higher than its previous forecast.Related: IRS adds Palantir tech to find tax cheats

A handful of Big Tech companies have the might to vex investors who are bullish on the S&P 500 when a significant portion of stocks in the index are up and outperforming.

Palantir CEO Alex Karp is no stranger to attracting attention.His latest comments are no exception.Karp said there are basically two kinds of people who can feel safe in the AI era. No prizes for guessing. According to the billionaire tech leader, those with vocational training and people who are neurodivergent are going to gain the most when it comes to the new AI era. That’s a sharp, polarizing way to talk about work, college and the future. But for investors, the bigger point is not the quote itself. It is what the quote reveals about Palantir’s business model.This is not just a CEO trying to look important with an intriguing soundbite. Instead, Palantir is hiring around this worldview. The data analytics company boasts a Neurodivergent Fellowship and runs a Meritocracy Fellowship, giving high school graduates a pathway into the organization without attending college.The latest version of that program offers about $5,400 a month and sells itself with a message that is impossible to miss: skip the debt and learn on the job instead.That matters because Palantir stock no longer constitutes a simple AI growth story. What it represents is a government-tech, defense-tech and controversy story.The same company pitching itself as a home for unusual thinkers is also deepening its ties to the Pentagon, constructing tools and AI ammunition related to the battlefield. In recent months, there has been sharp criticism surrounding the AI company’s work with Israel, immigration enforcement and military targeting. For shareholders, that creates both upside and headline risk.For workers, CEO Karp thinks two types will thrive, “One, you have some vocational training. Or two, you’re neurodivergent.”That quote is purposefully blunt. It also fits how Karp has been talking for months. Fortune reported that he has warned AI will destroy some humanities jobs, and Reuters reported in February that Palantir’s government business is booming as the company leans harder into surveillance and defense work.Now you can see how these two are connected.Palantir is not just talking; it is hiring this wayThe easiest mistake investors can make is to treat Palantir as yet another viral moment.More Palantir Palantir CEO delivers curt 8-word message to investorsVeteran analyst drops eye-popping price target on Palantir stockMorgan Stanley has a stark message for investors in Palantir stocksIt is more than that.Palantir’s Neurodivergent Fellowship says outright that the company believes neurodivergent people may have a competitive advantage in the new era we are entering.The posting says these hires will join as full-time employees, work on real software and customer problems, and be judged on merit and impact.What all of this means in plain English is that Palantir is saying it wants people who think differently and can build fast.The same goes for the Meritocracy Fellowship. Fortune reported that Palantir’s first class drew more than 500 applicants and accepted 22 people. The current version is recruiting again, and the listed pay is about $5,400 per month. That is not just anti-college rhetoric. That is a real recruiting funnel.For the average reader, the message is simple. Palantir thinks the traditional path consisting of an excellent school, a clean résumé, and an office job is now over. For investors, the message is even simpler: Palantir is building a workforce to match its brand.It wants people who are comfortable working on hard, high-stakes problems, as well as outsiders, builders, and quick learners. That might help the business move quickly. It could also make the company even more divided along cultural lines.Related: Palantir immigration enforcement bombshell hits just before earningsThere is also a stock-market angle here worth considering. Palantir shares are trading near $146, giving the company a market value of roughly $432.8 billion. In February 2026, the stock had already fallen more than 15% as Wall Street questioned its sky-high valuation, even after a massive three-year run. The 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio was 140.5 at that time, and it was warned that Palantir was still “priced for perfection.” Today, the finance snapshot still shows a very rich P/E of about 395.That means that every big promise has two sides. A bold hiring plan and bigger government contracts can help the stock make sense. But any mistake, political backlash, or contract dispute can hurt a name that is still worth a lot of money.Palantir’s war ties are a business win and a headline riskThis is where the Palantir story gets more serious.Reuters reported on March 20 that Palantir’s Maven AI systemis now the officialprogram of record for the U.S. military. Maven analyzes battlefield data and helping zero in on targets for precision strikes. It is already the primary AI operating system for the U.S. military, which had carried out thousands of targeted strikes against Iran over the prior three weeks. It’s a major cause of celebration for Palantir and its investors because it points to long-term funding, sticky revenue and deeper Pentagon adoption.It was also reported on March 24 that Palantir and Andurilare combining to manufacture software for Trump’s Golden Dome missile shield project, a program costing about $185 billion. Again, the market angle is clear: when Palantir signs more contracts, it becomes more and more successful, and investors rejoice.But the same war exposure creates headline risk.In October 2024, Nordic investor Storebrand sold its Palantir stake because of concerns that the company’s work for Israel could create risks tied to international humanitarian law and human rights. Reuters said Palantir had agreed earlier that year to a strategic partnership to supply technology to Israel to assist in the war in Gaza. Karp also said publicly that he was proud of the work and expected to lose employees over his support for Israel.That is not the only issue Palantir is dealing with. In February, Karp defended Palantir’s surveillance tools without talking about immigration enforcement efforts that already sparked widespread protests. The same report said that ICE hired Palantir last year to make surveillance systems to help with enforcing immigration laws.Palantir’s ties to war, spying, and national security are both good and bad for the company.For bulls, those ties mean sticky contracts, higher switching costs, and faster revenue growth.Critics argue that the company’s ties to targeting, surveillance, and controversial state power are becoming too strong.Related: Palantir just got a headline-grabbing boost from the Iran warPalantir’s reach also goes beyond Israel and Iran.Ukraine and Palantir started Dataroom in January to use combat data to create AI to stop Russian drones. Ukraine planned to use Palantir to prove Russia committed war crimes. Software companies are no longer just selling office tools, and Palantir is at the center of that change; they are becoming crucial to modern wars.

Palantir CEO makes blunt AI claim as war criticism grows louderPhoto by Roy Rochlin on Getty Images

What Palantir investors should watch nextIn simple terms, Karp’s message to everyday readers is this: learn a real skill or be different enough to do something that AI can’t do easily.For investors, the Palantir checklist is more practical and immediately implementable.First, watch whether Palantir can turn controversy into durable revenue. The story about the Pentagon is interesting. The company’s part in missile defense and AI on the battlefield is also getting bigger. The stock has a better chance of making money if those programs do well.Second, watch the valuation. When a stock trades at a high multiple, there isn’t much room for disappointment, and PLTR stock could drop quickly if growth slows down, government spending changes, or the politics turn sour.Third, watch the headline risk. Palantir’s name is getting dragged into some of the most heated hotspots worldwide, like those between Israel and Gaza, Iran, Ukraine, ICE surveillance, and the bigger question of whether AI needs to employed to monitor people on a larger scale.Even when that work helps Palantir, it can still turn off employees, customers, lawmakers, or common investors on the street.That is why this story matters.Alex Karp’s quote is the hook. But the real story is that Palantir is becoming a more powerful, more political and more controversial AI stock at the same time; great for revenue but, perhaps, bad for sentiment. Related: Palantir just got access to something highly sensitive

Parents who feel they have not invested or managed their money well in the past can be “honest about lessons learned — discussing what they would do differently and modeling a willingness to improve.”

While much of Wall Street has spent 2026 debating how bad things could get, at least one prominent strategist thinks the question itself is wrong.Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, said in an April 2 interview on CNBC’s Power Lunch that the U.S. economy is not heading into a recession, despite significant market volatility driven by the ongoing Iran conflict, per CNBC. Detrick pointed to strong corporate fundamentals and what he described as “encouraging technical signals” as the basis for his view.The call is a direct pushback against the wave of recession warnings that have built up since the U.S.-Iran war began Feb. 28, sending oil prices surging and raising inflation expectations across global markets.What Carson Group’s Detrick is watchingDetrick’s case rests on several pillars. Corporate earnings have remained resilient, labor markets have remained stable, and broad market participation has held up, a pattern that typically signals a mid-cycle slowdown rather than an outright contraction.Related: UBS has a message on oil price and the economyThe distinction matters. A mid-cycle slowdown typically involves a temporary deceleration in growth that resolves without a full economic contraction. A recession is a sustained, broad-based decline in economic activity. Detrick’s argument is that the current environment fits the former, not the latter, even with oil-driven inflation pressures complicating the picture.Carson Group’s proprietary leading economic index has not pointed to a recession at any point over the past three years, even when other widely followed indicators were flashing warning signs, per Carson Group. Entering 2026, the firm’s outlook described the U.S. economy as “growing near trend with no sign of a major slowdown.”Why recession fear is running hotThe backdrop for Detrick’s remarks is not a calm one. The Iran war has closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting roughly 20% of global oil supply and sending energy prices sharply higher. Oil above $100 per barrel raises inflation expectations and reduces the likelihood of Federal Reserve rate cuts, a combination that historically creates headwinds for risk assets and fuels recession fears.MoreEconomy:Goldman Sachs resets oil-price bets as war rages onHow Fed meeting impacts mortgage rates, housing marketIMF drops blunt warning on US economyMarket volatility has been elevated since the conflict began. Gold fell more than 11% in March before partially recovering. Equities have whipsawed on every development in the ceasefire negotiations. The mood on Wall Street has shifted meaningfully toward caution since late February.Detrick has been a consistent voice against that caution. In a March appearance on CNBC, he said the bull market remained intact despite the volatility and pointed to market breadth and sector rotation as evidence that the underlying economy was holding up, per CNBC. In a separate March interview, he noted “a lot more market positives than negatives” even as geopolitical uncertainty rattled investors, per CNBC.

Triballeau/Getty Images

Analyst’s track record worth notingDetrick’s no-recession calls are not new, and they have a track record. Carson Group’s leading economic index did not flag a recession in 2023, 2024, or 2025, years when recession predictions were widespread on Wall Street. The S&P 500 gained 17.9% in 2025, a year in which the index fell more than 10% in two days following what markets called Liberation Day.Detrick acknowledged at the start of 2026 that volatility was inevitable even in a positive year. “At some point during this year, if stocks are down between 10% to 15%, that would be perfectly logical and normal,” he said in December 2025. “And if you’re planning ahead of time for it, you probably won’t make rash decisions with your investments.”Key pillars of Detrick’s no-recession case:Corporate earnings have remained resilient despite geopolitical and cost pressures.Labor markets have stayed stable, with no signs of a sharp deterioration in employmentBroad market participation has held up, a signal associated with mid-cycle slowdowns rather than recessionsCarson Group’s proprietary leading economic index has not signaled a recession in three years.Manufacturing surveys have shown improvement rather than the sustained contraction typical of recessionsWhat could change the picture to recessionDetrick is not dismissing the risks. The Iran conflict has injected genuine uncertainty into the inflation and rate outlook, and a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz would add sustained pressure to an already complicated picture for the Federal Reserve.The key variable is whether the energy shock proves temporary or persistent. A diplomatic resolution that reopens shipping lanes and brings oil prices down would remove the primary headwind to the no-recession thesis. A prolonged war that keeps oil elevated and delays Fed rate cuts would test it.For now, Detrick’s position is that the fundamental data does not support the level of alarm currently priced into markets. The economy, he argues, has handled worse and kept growing.Related: Moody’s shares blunt opinion on the economy

The KitKat heist shows how brands like Nestlé, Oreo, Domino’s, and KFC use creativity to turn unexpected problems into attention, engagement, and marketing impact.

The bank reinstated a five-day, in-person workweek in early 2025, aligning with other corporate giants like Amazon and Dell.