BUSINESS

In 2014, Elon Musk stood in front of an audience and said building AI was like “summoning the demon.” In 2018 at SXSW, he said AI was “far more dangerous than nukes.”In March 2025, he put the odds of killer robots annihilating humanity at somewhere between 10% and 20%. Those are the quotes people remember. They paint a picture of a man who has spent years warning the world about what could go wrong.Then in July 2026, sitting across from The Economist’s editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes in what was his first extended interview since SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO, Musk said something that complicates that picture considerably. He said he’s made peace with pressing ahead anyway. And he explained why.What Elon Musk told The Economist about AI risks and abundance”My sort of philosophical conclusion is to look on the bright side,” Musk told The Economist.”I can’t see any way to really stop this incredible momentum of AI and robots,” he said. “At times I sort of think, well, perhaps even if there was a stop button, we probably shouldn’t press it, because the most likely outcome is incredible abundance for all.”He also said humans will “no longer be in charge of the world in 10 years.” He said it matter-of-factly, not as a warning, but as a prediction he’s made peace with.He’s not saying the risk is gone. He was explicit that the probability of things going catastrophically wrong is “not zero.” But his argument is that the upside, a world where AI creates abundance for everyone, is the more likely outcome. And he’s decided that’s enough to keep going.He also put a timeline on what he sees coming. AI may exceed the sum of all human intelligence “in about five years,” he said, leading to what he called “an age of amazing abundance where anyone can have anything they can think of.” The only scenario he sees derailing that is something like “global thermonuclear war.”Related: Mark Zuckerberg backs Elon Musk Silicon Valley decisionThe interview also had a sharper moment. When Beddoes told him “people loathe you,” Musk didn’t flinch. “I don’t care,” he said. “The fact that a quarter billion people follow me means a lot more people like me than don’t. And I think a lot more people hate you and the media than you realize.” It was the kind of exchange that reminded viewers why Musk doesn’t sit for many interviews.Why Musk’s position on AI has shifted from warning to acceptanceThe shift is worth sitting with. Musk has been one of the most prominent voices warning about AI risk for more than a decade. He co-founded OpenAI in 2015 specifically because he believed that if powerful AI was coming, it was better to have safety-conscious people at the frontier than to leave it entirely to those who weren’t thinking about the risks. He left OpenAI’s board in 2018 citing disagreements over direction.Since then he’s built xAI, launched Grok, and poured money into AI compute infrastructure. He’s watched the technology accelerate past forecasts he thought were aggressive. His 10-20% annihilation estimate from March 2025 is still there. He didn’t walk it back. What shifted is what he does with that number. If the bad outcome is 10-20% likely, then the good outcome is 80-90% likely. And he’s decided that’s enough to keep going full speed.That’s not a retraction of his earlier warnings. It’s more of a reckoning with the fact that the train has left the station, and his conclusion is that passengers are better off on it than standing on the platform hoping it stops.Musk’s AI abundance prediction and what it means in practiceMusk has been making versions of the abundance argument more explicitly in 2026. In January, he said saving for retirement would be “irrelevant” in a world of abundant AI and robotics. Earlier this month, he predicted that AI and robots would make work optional and fund what he called “universal high income,” a concept he’s described as a world where scarcity is no longer the default condition of human life, as TheStreet reported.The Economist interview is the most fully developed version of this argument he’s made publicly. He’s describing a world where the question isn’t whether AI creates enormous wealth but whether that wealth gets distributed broadly enough to justify the risk of getting there. His answer, based on the interview, is that he believes it will, and that betting against the technology at this point is both futile and probably the wrong call.That’s a significant thing to say when you’re the person who once compared AI development to summoning a demon. It reflects either a genuine philosophical evolution or a calculated public pivot. Probably some of both.

Musk has been making versions of the abundance argument more explicitly in 2026Stefani/Getty Images

What the AI risk debate looks like with Musk on the optimist sideThe AI safety community has spent years trying to get the world’s most powerful technologists to take existential risk seriously. Musk was one of the few people with genuine influence who seemed to agree. Now he’s saying the risk is real but the abundance case is stronger, and he’s not pressing stop.That matters for how the public debate about AI governance develops. If the person who put “killer robots annihilating humanity” at 10-20% odds is now making the case for accelerating anyway, it takes one of the most credible warning voices out of the cautionary camp and puts it, at least partly, in the acceleration camp.Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize-winning computer scientist who left Google specifically to warn about AI risk, has put his own probability of AI-driven human extinction at 10% over the next 30 years. That number is still out there. The debate hasn’t gone away. Musk is just no longer where he used to be in it, and that changes the shape of the conversation in ways that will take a while to fully work out.What investors and markets should take from Musk’s Economist interviewFor markets, Musk’s comments are another data point in a pattern that’s been building all year. The people closest to the technology and most invested in it, literally and financially, are increasingly making the abundance case rather than the caution case. That shapes the capital allocation decisions of the investors and institutions that listen to them.Musk himself has more money riding on the AI outcome than almost anyone. xAI, Tesla, SpaceX, and his various infrastructure investments are all deeply tied to the assumption that AI development continues and that the resulting productivity gains are real. His optimism isn’t abstract. It’s what the business model requires, as TheStreet reported.Whether that makes his optimism more credible or less credible is a question investors are going to have to answer for themselves. But his position on the debate has shifted, and the market tends to notice when someone with his platform changes what they’re saying.Related: Elon Musk’s startling claim to SpaceX investors

The Young Bucks beat Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay, whose issues reared their ugly head and cost them the match.

Personal finance author and radio host Dave Ramsey recently warned a reader who questioned whether to transition from part-time work to full-time employment, solely to accelerate her family’s long-term retirement savings. This likely would have included increasing their 401(k) and IRA contributions.The reader explained that her husband earns more than $180,000 annually in a stable role, while she currently works part-time as a substitute teacher.She noted that their existing retirement investments already position them for a comfortable lifestyle in retirement, yet her husband suggested taking on a full-time job to expand their financial reserves.Ramsey challenged the underlying assumption that higher bank account balances automatically justify sacrificing personal fulfillment.”Contentment has nothing to do with how many hours you work, or how many zeroes are in your bank account,” Ramsey wrote in an email to TheStreet from Ramsey Solutions.He emphasized that one’s financial trajectory should reflect personal well-being rather than endless accumulation.”The idea that contentment is on the same spectrum as ambition? I disagree with that notion wholeheartedly,” Ramsey added.Dave Ramsey cautions against 401(k), IRA errorFederal Reserve data indicates that middle-to-high-income households frequently struggle to identify their true income baseline needed for post-work security, often overestimating required accumulation targets.Maintaining a 401(k) and IRA retirement savings rate of 15% of annual gross income — including employer matching contributions — typically provides sufficient capital replacement over a 30-year working career, according to Fidelity Investments.I calculated that, when household income exceeds $210,000 with combined part-time earnings, achieving that benchmark generates over $31,500 in annual 401(k) and IRA retirement savings without requiring a transition to full-time work.More on personal finance:Charles Schwab, Fidelity alert workers to forced 401(k) ruleDave Ramsey warns Americans on 401(k)s, IRAs (he’s not wrong)Congress research arm warns Americans on 401(k), IRA penaltyRamsey warned against compromising current daily happiness solely to raise an already secure 401(k) and IRA balance..”But if you have to surrender the joy in life to do it, all in the name of simply increasing your amount of wealth to an even higher level, I don’t like that idea,” he wrote.Job satisfaction among educators and public service workers delivers non-financial well-being metrics that significantly reduce overall household stress levels, according to Pew Research Center studies.

Dave Ramsey urges people to consider happiness over wealth amounts alone when evaluating retirement savings and career satisfaction.Shutterstock

401(k), IRA retirement savings scenariosI calculated the following wealth accumulation models to provide real-world financial context for readers evaluating part-time versus full-time household employment and 401(k) and IRA retirement savings.The models assume a couple, much like Ramsey’s example above, with a baseline combined income of $210,000 ($180,000 primary earner plus $30,000 part-time educator income), a standardized 7% annual investment return, an estimated 22% effective federal tax rate, and a 10-year holding period.Part-time baseline scenario ($210,000 total household income)Under the part-time baseline scenario with a total household income of $210,000, allocating 15% results in an annual 401(k) and IRA retirement savings total of $31,500. Over a 10-year period, cumulative contributions reach $315,000, while projected investment growth at 7% adds $120,218. This yields a final accumulated balance of $435,218 after 10 years.Full-time transition scenario ($240,000 total household income)Transitioning to full-time employment would theoretically generate an additional $30,000 in annual income, raising total household earnings to $240,000. Maintaining a 15% allocation increases annual 401(k) and IRA retirement savings to $36,000, bringing total contributions over 10 years to $360,000. With $137,392 in projected investment growth at 7%, the final accumulated balance reaches $497,392.Opportunity cost analysisComparing the two models reveals a net asset variance of $62,174 after 10 years. Under a standard 4% retirement withdrawal rule, this difference translates to a marginal monthly drawdown gain of $207 in retirement income. Generating this incremental capital requires working an additional 10,400 labor hours over the 10-year timeframe. (Source:Jeffrey Quiggle, TheStreet.)Retirement savings impact on lifestyle choicesThe financial data suggests that transitioning from part-time to full-time labor yields a modest increase in total capital relative to the thousands of hours committed.Debt-free households earning comfortable primary salaries achieve minimal risk reduction from secondary full-time wages.Prioritizing daily career satisfaction over marginal asset gains can offer greater overall utility once core 401(k) and IRA retirement savings goals are fully funded.This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute individual financial, legal, or investment advice. Readers should consult a certified financial planner or tax professional regarding their specific financial circumstances.Related: S&P 500 surge triggers critical 401(k) pivot

AEW Redemption 2026 results as Speedball Mike Bailey becomes No. 1 Contender for the AEW International Title in a show-opening ladder match.

Eli Lilly (LLY) stock has turned into one of the best comeback trades of 2026.Shares closed at $1,196.03 on July 24, up nearly 11% year to date after a rough start dragged the stock below $900 in the spring.Lilly shares have climbed about 39% since the company’s first-quarter report, according to Goldman Sachs.Now the bank is telling clients where the next move comes from, and it is not the product most headlines are chasing.What Goldman Sachs expects from Eli Lilly’s second-quarter earningsGoldman Sachs is holding a Buy rating and a 12-month price target of $1,283 on Eli Lilly heading into the Aug. 5 report, Yahoo Finance reported. That target sits about 7% above where the stock closed on July 24.For the second quarter, Goldman expects $20.8 billion in revenue, roughly in line with the $20.5 billion Visible Alpha consensus, and adjusted earnings of $5.83 a share.The bank’s forecast reflects a $2.8 billion acquired research and development charge, which weighs on the reported number.Eli Lilly confirms Aug. 5 as the date for its second-quarter earnings call.Why Foundayo’s soft start may not sink Eli Lilly stockFoundayo is Lilly’s new oral obesity pill, and its debut has been slower than Wall Street hoped.Goldman projects just $40 million in second-quarter Foundayo sales, against a consensus near $100 million.Foundayo (orforglipron) is the only approved once-daily obesity pill with no food or water restrictions, Lilly noted when the drug won FDA approval in April.More Eli Lilly Stock:JPMorgan raises Eli Lilly stock price target to $1,400UBS lifts Eli Lilly stock target to $1,425Ozempic maker takes biggest rival to court over weight-loss drug adsWeekly prescriptions for Foundayo have stalled for five straight weeks after an early peak, Jefferies noted, citing IQVIA data.Goldman cut its 2026 U.S. Foundayo estimate to $755 million from $1.1 billion to reflect the slower sales.The bank still expects Foundayo to be a top question on the Aug. 5 call, yet it argues the stock’s fate rests elsewhere.The number Goldman Sachs says will move Eli Lilly stockGoldman’s note says the size of Lilly’s next guidance raise is the single most important variable for how the stock reacts on report day.Lilly currently guides to $83 billion to $85 billion in 2026 revenue. Goldman sees room for a raise of up to $1 billion and models $86.1 billion for the year.In plain terms, guidance is the company’s own revenue forecast. When Lilly lifts it, investors read that as management confidence backed by real demand.Goldman flags one catch. Its client conversations suggest many investors already expect a raise, so some of that optimism may be priced in.That sets up a familiar earnings-season trap, where a good result still disappoints because expectations ran higher.

Eli Lilly reports second-quarter results on Aug. 5, with its obesity and diabetes franchise in focus.jetcityimage / Getty Images

How OUS Mounjaro became the real engine for LLY stockThe second driver Goldman highlights is Lilly drug Mounjaro, sold outside the United States.The bank forecasts $4.95 billion in second-quarter OUS Mounjaro sales, about 10% above the $4.5 billion consensus.OUS simply means “outside the U.S.,” and this line has carried Lilly’s gains for several quarters running.Mounjaro already holds roughly 60% of the incretin market in countries such as Brazil and Korea, Morgan Stanley noted in May.Related: Lilly quietly hands Chinese partner its cancer drugDomestically sold Mounjaro is steadier, with Goldman modeling $4.4 billion, which is close to consensus. Zepbound is the third leg of Lilly’s obesity lineup, and early signs point to faster volume growth since the July 1 Medicare change.The takeaway for readers is direct. International demand, not the new pill, is what analysts are watching for surprises.Eli Lilly stock versus the market and its rivalLilly’s rebound stands out against both the broader market and its closest competitor.Here is how LLY has traded in 2026:Eli Lilly vs. key benchmarks, 2026Eli Lilly: up about 11% year to date, according to Google FinanceShares up roughly 39% since first-quarter results, according to Goldman SachsRival Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic, has struggled, and the two are now in a legal fight over advertising claims.The gap reflects a simple reality. Lilly’s obesity and diabetes franchise keeps winning customers from rivals, CNBC noted.Lilly holds about 60% of the combined U.S. GLP-1 market.What Eli Lilly investors should watch on August 5Several things still need to break Lilly’s way for the bull case to hold.Watch these signals when the company reports:The guidance raise. A lift toward Goldman’s $86.1 billion would confirm demand is outrunning lower U.S. prices.OUS Mounjaro. A beat above $4.5 billion keeps the main profit engine intact.Medicare traction. The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program began July 1, letting eligible Part D patients pay about $50 a month.Foundayo’s trajectory. Investors want signs the pill’s flat prescription trend is turning.Goldman also points to pipeline risk. The firm noted that retatrutide, a next-generation obesity candidate, saw its filing timeline slip to the first quarter of 2027 from late 2026.The risks that could still hit Eli Lilly stockGoldman lists the main threats: alarger drop in obesity-drug pricing, market-share losses to competitors, and weak clinical data on pipeline drugs.Pricing is the risk to be most cautious about. According to Lilly’s earnings report, U.S. pricesfell 13% in the first quarter even as volume surged.There is also a demand risk further out. A survey this year found some large employers may drop GLP-1 coverage in 2027. That would affect both Zepbound and Foundayo.Anyone weighing LLY should size the position to their own risk tolerance, since stocks priced for perfection fall hard when a quarter disappoints.The bottom line for Eli Lilly stockGoldman Sachs is still bullish on Eli Lilly, holding its Buy rating and $1,283 target, which implies modest gains from current levels. But the bank is steering investors away from the obvious storyline, since a soft Foundayo quarter is already widely expected.The real test on Aug. 5 is whether Lilly raises guidance enough to satisfy a market that already expects good news, and whether international Mounjaro sales keep beating forecasts.If both land, the 2026 comeback has room to run. If the guidance raise isn’t high enough, even a solid quarter could stall the stock.For everyday investors, watch the raise and the overseas numbers, not just the new pill that owns the headlines.Related: Eli Lilly’s hottest drugs face a quiet new threat

Leaked Galaxy S27 camera plans suggest a broader Samsung lineup as retailers, carriers, and customers mull another premium smartphone tier.Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) may be preparing to give shoppers yet another expensive Galaxy phone to consider.Samsung is developing four Galaxy S27 models: the S27, S27+, S27 Pro, and S27 Ultra, reports SamMobile, citing WinFuture. The rumored Pro and Ultra phones are expected to get the biggest camera upgrades, while the standard models could stick closer to Samsung’s current hardware.Samsung has not revealed the lineup or specifications.For retailers, the prospective S27 Pro is both an opportunity and a concern.Another model would provide carriers, Samsung outlets, and retailers such as Best Buy with another pricing point between the S27+ and the Ultra. That might mean users buy more without having to purchase Samsung’s most expensive traditional flagship.It also potentially inundates store shelves with four alike-looking phones and confuses buying decisions.It’s more than just one launch. Samsung’s mobile division is targeting flagship-led sales, upselling, and a more diverse product mix as it aims to safeguard profitability in the face of higher costs, the company said in a statement announcing its first-quarter results.The S27 leak shows Samsung could be translating that strategy into a larger retail assortment.“The MX Business saw sales and profit increase as a result of its premium product mix,” Samsung said in the statement.That makes the rumored Galaxy S27 Pro more than just a product variant. A fourth flagship might give merchants and carriers a fresh method to entice buyers to a more expensive device, without forcing them to buy the Ultra. The risk is that the Pro will cannibalize sales of existing Samsung models rather than create new demand.Samsung’s Galaxy lineup could give retailers a new upsellIn the United States, Samsung presently sells three varieties of the Galaxy S26.The Galaxy S26 will start at $899.99, the S26+ will retail for $1,099.99, and the S26 Ultra will cost $1,299.99. The phones are available at Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Samsung Experience Stores, and major carriers.A Pro model might sit between the Plus and Ultra, offering sales personnel another stage in the upsell process.Related: Samsung’s $98 Dolby Atmos soundbar offers premium audio instantlyMaybe the purported specs for the camera are the justification.The S27 and S27+ may keep 50-megapixel main cameras and 12-megapixel ultrawide cameras, SamMobile said. The S27 Pro may also feature a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 50-megapixel stabilized telephoto camera, and a 16-megapixel front camera with autofocus and optical image stabilization.The S27 Ultra may also see similar upgrades for its front and ultrawide cameras, but it’s still unclear whether it will feature one or two telephoto cameras.That makes for an easy retail pitch: Shoppers who care about cameras may have to look outside the standard models.Samsung’s S26 introduction highlights why premium differentiation is important. The Ultra accounted for 80% of U.S. S26 pre-orders, Samsung said, while total pre-orders jumped roughly 25% across Samsung, carrier, and national-retail channels.Carrier preorders were up more than 70%, and retailers like Best Buy sold more than twice as many of the prior generation, Samsung said. Those are corporate-supplied numbers, not independently validated retail data.The results suggest that buyers will flock to a premium device when those differences are obvious enough.The problem is how much Samsung has to promote to make the sale. Preorders for the S26 have been running with up to $900 in qualified trade-in credit or a $150 Samsung credit with no trade-in.What retailers should watchWhether Samsung adds a fourth S27 modelHow clearly the Pro differs from the Plus and UltraWhether the standard phones receive enough upgrades to drive replacementsHow heavily Samsung and carriers rely on trade-in offersWhether the Pro adds new demand or takes sales from the UltraAggressive trade-ins can help increase launch volumes and drive shoppers into stores. They can also reduce the effective price paid by customers. Headline prices are therefore a less accurate indicator of retail strength.

Samsung’s next Galaxy launch may test its pricing power.Bloomberg / Getty Images

Samsung’s retail gamble goes beyond adding shelf spaceSamsung’s four-phone portfolio may enhance its average selling price but also adds retail complexity.Retailers and carriers would have to stock more colors, storage configurations, and accessories. Samsung would have to justify the Pro’s higher price point over the Plus, without pricing the Ultra too high.More Tech:Microsoft cuts thousands as Xbox faces rude awakeningSpectrum makes significant decision as customer losses mountGiant troubled satellite TV company files Chapter 11 bankruptcyThe company already has a similar approach to expand its foldable lineup. There are now three different devices in the latest Galaxy Z family, including the first Fold Ultra, as Samsung tries to offer premium shoppers more choice.That approach works when you have a defined consumer for each model. The risk is greater when shoppers only detect small differences.Samsung’s own numbers indicate that the launch momentum is fading. The business reported that fourth-quarter 2025 smartphone sales decreased as the effects of the new model waned. It anticipates mobile revenue to drop sequentially as the benefit from the S26 introduction fades.So promotions will certainly remain relevant. Seasonal promotions on Galaxy phones and ecosystem products were part of its strategy to support sales after major launches, Samsung had said previously.If Samsung can’t sell four Galaxy S27 phones in stores, the question for investors is whether retailers can convince shoppers to pay a premium for the Pro and Ultra without resorting to bigger discounts and without leaving the S27 and S27+ looking like compromise purchases.Samsung’s shareholder-return policy gives some help, including 9.8 trillion won of yearly regular dividendsunder its 2024-to-2026 plans.The real test of the Galaxy S27, however, will be at the sales counter.What Samsung needs is a bigger lineup so it can make more profitable decisions, rather than causing additional confusion.Related: Qualcomm deepens ties with major Apple rival

The trailers for Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday” have offered little insight into what Ian McKellen’s Magneto looks like in the film, but a new Hot Toys 12-inch action figure of the iconic X-Men character reveals it in full detail.

Rising gas prices force Americans to make cuts to other parts of their budget. “Over three-fifths (61%) of drivers said rising gas prices have moderately or significantly impacted their household’s ability to afford other expenses in the past month,” according to Numerator’s Consumers React to Rising Gas Prices. People are also cutting back on discretionary spending.”Seventy-three percent of drivers say that higher gas prices have resulted in them cutting spending from other categories, including dining out/takeout (43%), travel (30%), and entertainment (29%). A quarter of drivers also cut spending on everyday items like groceries (28%) and household goods (24%),” the study showed.In addition, Americans are also changing their gas-buying habits. “Ninety-three percent of drivers are trying to save money on gas, resorting to using gas station loyalty programs or apps,” Numerator’s April report showed.The situation has driven more Costco customers to buy gas at the warehouse club, but one perk from 7-Eleven’s 7Rewards program could be an even better deal for customers.7-Eleven has a price lock feature7-Eleven’s 7Rewards program comes with a lot of gas rewards, but it’s more complicated to use than Costco’s gas pumps, which simply require a membership.To join, you have to follow a few steps:Text SAVE to 711711 for 25¢ OFF/gal on your next 3 fillsSign up for7REWARDS and get 11¢ OFF/gal on your 7 fillsIf you download the 7-Eleven app, you also unlock the convenience-store chain’s Price Lock feature. This gives shoppers protection from rising gas prices.”Lock in a low fuel price in your area for 4 days in the 7-Eleven app. You’ll always get the best deal, even if prices drop,” the chain shared on its website.It takes four steps to lock in the potential savings:Login to your 7-Eleven app and navigate to the “Fuel” page. Find the Price Lock banner and press the “Lock Price” button.Select your preferred fuel grade from the options displayed.Press the “Find Participating Stores” button to view where you can fill up.Pay at the pump using Mobile Pay in the 7-Eleven app.So, if prices rise, you have already locked in a lower price, and if they drop, you get to pay the lower amount.As gas prices rise quickly, this could allow a 7-Eleven customer to lock in a lower price than they might pay at Costco that day, which also requires a paid membership.Gas prices back over $4 a gallonThe national average for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped 15 cents from last week to $4.09 as of July 23. “Most states are now averaging $4 per gallon or higher. Rising crude oil prices are behind the spike at the pump. Volatility along the Strait of Hormuz and instability in the region have pushed crude oil prices into the $90 per barrel range and could continue driving up costs during the second half of summer,” according to AAA.July 23 national average: $4.091 One week ago: $3.943 One month ago: $3.926 One year ago: $3.155 Rising prices have been met with climbing demand.Gasoline demand increased last week from 8.84 million to 8.94 million, according to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

You have to be a Costco member to use its gas stations.Shutterstock

Consumers are looking for cheap gasWalmart CFO John Rainey noted a change in consumer behavior during his chain’s first-quarter earnings call.“We have a large fuel business, and we see that in the most recent period, the number of gallons that customers fill up with when they come to our fuel stations fell below 10 for the first time since 2022. That’s an indication of stress,” he said.Overall, however, Walmart and Sam’s Club have sold more gas.“In the month of May, our gallons are up 12%. If you look across the industry, they’re down 5%,” Rainey added. More Retail:Coca-Cola quietly hints at reinventing previously failed flavorBath & Body Works quietly gains a competitive advantageDollar General brings back old pricesCostco has also set gas records.”All three four-week fiscal periods of the quarter set successive all-time company volume sales records, with the final 5 weeks of the quarter becoming our top five volume weeks ever,” Costco CEO Ron Vachris said during the warehouse club’s third-quarter earnings call.CFO Gary Millerchip also shared some insight on changing member behavior.“A lot of members are increasing their frequency. They’re visiting the gas station to top up in between would have normally been a gap between getting the tank to empty because of the concern about what might the gas price be tomorrow,” he said during the Q3 call.Costco may still have an edgeRTMNexus CEO Dominick Miserandino thinks Costco has one edge over all of its rivals offering gas promotions.”Costco wins because its value proposition is completely frictionless: You show your card, and you get the lowest price in town immediately,” he told TheStreet.7-Eleven’s Price Lock does make it possible for scenarios when it could sell gas cheaper than Costco, but that’s likely to be rare.Americans, especially with gas back over $4 per gallon, will be aggressively looking for cheaper deals.“It doesn’t matter whether gas prices are $4 or $2 per gallon, consumers still want to find the best price possible. Retailers are constantly fighting to attract price-sensitive drivers to their stores, especially given that 35% of gas customers say that they also go inside the store after fueling,” Jeff Lenard, a longtime National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) executive, said in a press release.Costco did report seeing a change in how its own members acted based on where gas prices are now.”The high consumer price sensitivity, which fueled these record volumes, also drove many members to use our gas stations for the very first time in the third quarter,” Vachris added.Related: After 80 stores close, 63-year-old chain gives Chapter 11 warning

U.S. stock-index futures rallied and oil prices tumbled on Sunday as the U.S. and Iran took a pause from fighting, and as Wall Street gears up for the Fed’s meeting and key earnings reports from Big Tech companies.

Paramount’s Warner deal faces conflicting U.S., EU and U.K. reviews, while delay could add $1.7 billion to the price and risk a $7 billion termination fee.