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For decades, China has primarily been relied upon by global automakers as a manufacturing base and thriving sales market. Now, that relationship is changing rapidly, as some of the world’s largest automakers shift vehicle research and development to the East Asian nation.Volkswagen (VLKAF), Audi, General Motors (GM), and Renault are now handing over the development of new-generation vehicles — including software and EV platforms — to Chinese engineering teams.Some of these vehicles are intended for sale in global markets, not just China.This shift underlines China’s key advantages in tech, electric vehicles, and software. Many legacy carmakers are now thinking differently about where innovation happens in an increasingly competitive market.China is no longer only about building carsHistorically, China has been considered a low-cost manufacturing hub and a major sales market, but its importance for automakers has expanded far beyond that.China is now a leader in battery innovation, charging expertise, EV engineering, and software development. It’s also a center for rapid product development, with faster development cycles than have been seen in the West.“The product definition and technical roadmap are for the first time firmly in the hands of the China team,” said former GM engineer and independent auto analyst Zhu Yulong. Zhu was referring specifically to the Buick Electra E7, which sold more than 10,000 units in its first sales month in China, InsideEVs notes. This is a rare feat for a foreign automaker in the region, reports Reuters.More Automotive:Mercedes’ China problem just got worseTesla is doing in China what it couldn’t do in the U.S.BMW’s biggest market is becoming its biggest headacheThis vehicle was developed entirely at GM’s technical center in China, despite the American nameplate. The Electra’s China-built platform is intended to be used for the next Cadillac Optiq, an EV currently sold in the United States, Autoblog confirms. More commonly, platforms developed in Germany or the U.S. would be adapted for China, not the reverse.Another example of this change is the Renault Twingo E-Tech, a compact model developed in Shanghai and sold in Europe. “Legacy automakers are manufacturing companies trying to adapt to a world of tech,” said Pedro Pacheco, vice president of research at Gartner. “They went to the place — ​China, where they know they’re going to find tech talents.”In China, the days of merely assembling Western vehicles are long gone. The region now plays a pivotal role in the design and engineering of future vehicles sold around the world.

The Buick Electra E7 was developed entirely at GM’s technical center in China, despite the American nameplate.Bloomberg via Getty Images

Why legacy automakers are turning to ChinaChina has shown it’s a leader in EV and battery engineering, which is significant as the auto industry gradually electrifies its fleets. The region also benefits from deep software expertise, an invaluable advantage as vehicles become increasingly reliant on software.While many legacy automakers have struggled to reliably integrate complex software, Chinese automakers have succeeded at growing their market share with largely software-defined models.Related: Toyota’s global dominance faces new testChina also boasts the very latest in battery and charging tech.The aforementioned Buick Electra’s platform boasts a 900-volt supercharging system and plug-in hybrid powertrain, tech not offered on Detroit-developed models from GM. China’s BYD also offers 1,500-kW flash chargers with lightning-fast EV charging times not available to U.S. customers, reports Autoblog.Chinese engineering teams are at the heart of EV tech development, which is why legacy brands are increasingly leveraging this advantage for global vehicle programs.The global auto industry enters a new eraFor investors, the gradual shift to China brings with it potential advantages and risks.On a positive note, automakers like GM can enjoy rapid innovation, lower development costs, and stronger competitiveness in the EV realm. These brands can also tap into a market that excels at prioritizing shorter development cycles.Relying more heavily on China for product development comes with its risks, though.The move could raise geopolitical tensions and risk compromising the identity of brands with cars not traditionally developed in China. Buyers in regions like the U.S. could also be shut out from the best tech. Already, Chinese-owned EV brand Polestar has been banned from selling cars in the U.S. due to security risks posed by the vehicles’ Chinese-developed software.The global balance of automotive innovation is shifting, and China is increasingly at its center.Related: China’s new EV numbers just delivered strong message to U.S.

The Air Operator’s Certificate, a license that is granted by the government agency regulating aviation in a given country, is the single most critical license that an airline needs to run commercial flights.It is issued once a new carrier proves that it has the needed aircraft, staff and safety systems to operate as an airline and can be suspended or revoked for reasons ranging from bankruptcy to a failed safety audit.The latest AOC suspension came after nine passengers and a pilot were killed when a twin-engine Cessna 402 plane flying for Flamingo Air crashed on the Andros island in the Bahamas on July 10.Flamingo Air grounded after fatal crash in The BahamasAn initial report found that the small aircraft “encountered difficulties” before crashing into the bushes near San Andros Airport from which it was flying in from the capital city Nassau.The crash occurred on the same day as the Caribbean nation celebrated the 53rd anniversary of its independence and dampened widespread celebrations taking place across the country. One of the passengers aboard was initially named as a survivor but later died from his injuries in hospital a few hours later.Related: Another low-cost airline files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy”Today is a day ​of celebration but it has become a ⁠day of mourning,” Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis said at a press conference. “Once again, a chapter in our nation’s story has been marked by tragedy.”Immediately after the crash, the Bahamian Ministry of Aviation announced that it was temporarily suspending Flamingo Air’s AOC “as a precautionary ​safety ⁠measure.” Another Cessna plane flown by Flamingo Air had encountered a mid-air issue and later caught fire at the airport in Nassau a few hours before the fatal crash.The operating license will remain suspended pending an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas.The ministry put out a statement saying that the grounding “should not be treated as an adverse compliance action against Flamingo Air” but as a temporary grounding until the investigation is concluded.

The Cessna 402 operated by Flamingo Air crashed on Andros Island on July 10.Flamingo Air

What is Flamingo Air, a small airline in The Bahamas behind the fatal crashFlamingo Air, which was founded out of Grand Bahama International Airport in the 1970s, is a small local carrier operating both passenger and charter flights between the country’s main islands.It has a fleet of commuter-sized planes like the Cessna 402, Beechcraft 99 and one de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. The cause of the crash has not been immediately identified while the grounding means that any flights Flamingo Air may have scheduled for the coming days will leave travelers with booked tickets having to seek alternative travel options.More Travel News:Airline to launch unusual new flight to Cayman Islands from the U.S.There is a very cool Irish version of swimming pigs in the BahamasUnexpected country is most luxurious travel destination for 2026Low-cost airline launches easier way to get to Sri LankaIn a statement on the accident, Flamingo Air said that it was cooperating with the investigation into the crash while its “thoughts and prayers are with the families who have been impacted by this incident.'”At this time, the details are being gathered, and we are committed to cooperating with the relevant authorities,” the airline said further in its statement.Related: A new travel advisory targets World Cup travel

About 8,750 Microsoft employees recently had roughly 30 days to decide whether their savings could support walking away from their careers for good.The company’s first-ever Voluntary Retirement Program offered eligible workers cash severance, years of healthcare coverage, and continued stock vesting as exit incentives. More than 30% of those eligible accepted the package, Microsoft disclosed in a July 6 corporate update. The compressed decision window revealed a gap in financial preparedness that extends well beyond the technology sector and into every American workplace. Microsoft committed $900 million to its voluntary exit programMicrosoft announced the program in late April 2026, offering packages to United States employees whose combined age and years of service totaled at least 70, according to CNBC. The offer applied to workers at the senior director level and below, covering about 7% of the domestic workforce.Eligible employees could receive lump-sum cash payments ranging from eight weeks to approximately nine months of base pay, depending on seniority and tenure, GeekWire reported. The package also included up to five years of continued medical, dental, and vision coverage, with Microsoft fully subsidizing the first year of premiums.Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s executive vice president and chief people officer, said the voluntary program helps employees transition while receiving substantial company-backed benefits.Our hope is that this program gives those eligible the choice to take that next step on their own terms, with generous company supportUnvested restricted stock units would continue to vest for six months after departure for most participants in the program. Workers with 24 or more years of continuous service could receive up to 12 months of additional vesting, according to Peoplematters. Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood disclosed on the third-quarter earnings call that the program would result in approximately $900 million in one-time charges. That figure represents roughly one day of revenue for a company that brought in $82.9 billion during the quarter ending March 31, GeekWire reported.The pre-Medicare healthcare gap could determine your retirement timelineMicrosoft’s decision to include five years of healthcare coverage highlights a cost that keeps many workers tied to their employers longer than they want.The average retirement age in the United States is 63, but Medicare does not begin until 65, creating at least a two-year insurance gap, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.A 65-year-old retiring today can expect to spend approximately $172,500 on healthcare throughout retirement, and a couple faces projected costs of roughly $345,000, according to Fidelity’s 24th annual Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate. More Microsoft:Microsoft may be done making Xbox cheapMicrosoft has bad news for a key AI partnerMicrosoft reveals strange new plan for usersThose figures exclude long-term care and the added burden that workers face when retiring before Medicare eligibility. Americans consistently underestimate how much they will need for healthcare in retirement, Shams Talib, head of Fidelity Workplace Consulting, warned in Fidelity’s estimate.Workers retiring before 65 face additional expenses, including Affordable Care Act marketplace premiums and COBRA coverage that expires after 18 months.

Retiring before 65 can mean paying costly health insurance bills, making healthcare one of the biggest barriers to early retirement.Abraham Gonzalez Fernandez/Getty Images

Artificial intelligence spending is reshaping tech workforcesMicrosoft’s retirement offer did not arrive in isolation, as the company has committed more than $80 billion to artificial intelligence infrastructure in recent fiscal years. Hood told analysts that headcount declined year-over-year in the most recent quarter and will continue to decline into fiscal year 2027.The broader technology sector announced 52,050 job cuts during the first quarter of 2026, a 40% increase from the same period one year earlier, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.”You usually don’t expect technology companies to be using early retirement plans,” Joe Phillips, an economics professor at Seattle University, told KIRO 7.Most workers don’t choose when they retireThe Employee Benefit Research Institute found that 46% of Americans who retired last year left the workforce earlier than planned, with corporate restructuring driving 35% of those early departures. Zachary Ashburn, chief planning officer at Reach Strategic Wealth, wrote in Kiplinger that his firm calls each phase of a worker’s career a “Strategic Planning Window,” with each window opening unique tax and financial opportunities that are available only for a limited period.Ashburn also added that mapping out healthcare costs, tax exposure, and income needs before an unexpected offer arrives can shape whether a worker’s transition through one of these windows produces the outcome they wanted.Related: Retirement portfolios need fixed income playbook reset

T-Mobile is restricting access to two wireless promotions following several recent changes affecting customer savings. Last week, T-Mobile warned customers that it is retiring multiple older phone plans, including Magenta, Simple Choice, and ONE, over the next few weeks.The change will move customers on those older plans to newer ones, such as those from T-Mobile’s Essentials and Experience wireless plan lineup. Almost half of these customers will see their monthly bill increase by up to $6 as a result of this change. In addition, the carrier is also axing its KickBack discount on July 13, which it has offered since 2017. The discount lets customers save $10 per wireless line on their account if it uses less than 2GB of mobile data each month. T-Mobile restricts Keep and Switch and Family Freedom offersIn another new change that impacts customer savings, T-Mobile is limiting its Keep and Switch and Family Freedom promotions. Keep and Switch, which launched in 2020, helps customers who switch to T-Mobile pay off their remaining device balances with their previous carrier by offering reimbursements of up to $800 per wireless line (max of four) on their T-Mobile account.Family Freedom, which was introduced in April last year, essentially offers the same as Keep & Switch, except that after T-Mobile pays off the device, customers are required to trade it in for a newer one from the carrier. Related: T-Mobile faces backlash over new customer support restrictionBoth offers were made available to customers with new and existing accounts; however, that is no longer the case.On July 9, T-Mobile officially restricted both promotions to new accounts only, according to a recent update on its website. It is also limiting both offers to accounts that have either T-Satellite or Home Internet.RTMNexus CEO Dominick Miserandino said in a statement to TheStreet that the change from T-Mobile is “a deliberate play to cross-sell and diversify its customer base into other high-growth products.”“T-Mobile has poured massive capital into expanding its 5G home broadband and its newer satellite network,” said Miserandino. “By holding its best $800 carrier-switching discounts hostage unless you buy into these secondary services, it is forcing its core wireless business to act as a powerful engine that drives adoption across its entire tech ecosystem.”

T-Mobile is limiting its Keep and Switch and Family Freedom promos. Bloomberg / Getty Images

Why T-Mobile risks losing more customers The move from T-Mobile risks pushing more customers to switch to its rivals, especially after it rolled out several price increases over the past few months.In January, it hiked its Regulatory Programs & Telco Recovery fee, a monthly billing charge customers pay. T-Mobile also started charging $3 per month for its Apple TV “On Us” perk, which had previously been free for customers on Plus-level wireless plans.In March, it began hitting customers with a $35 Device Connection Charge when they purchase devices directly from Apple. The carrier also quietly increased its restocking fee for device returns. Most recently, T-Mobile doubled the rate customers pay to make calls outside the U.S., raising it from $0.25 per minute to $0.50 per minute.More T-Mobile News:T-Mobile adds new internet plan restriction customers will feelT-Mobile drops new free perks for customers as pressure buildsT-Mobile quietly expands a convenient service for customersT-Mobile is already struggling to hold on to customers as it faces increased competition not only from AT&T and Verizon but also from cable operators, which are offering discounted rates for wireless service through bundled plans. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which offer consumers mobile service at lower prices compared to traditional wireless carriers, are also becoming increasingly popular. In December, a survey conducted by WhistleOut revealed that 34% of T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon customers plan to switch to an MVNO within the next year due to high mobile plan prices. During an earnings call in April, T-Mobile CEO Srini Gopalan said that the company’s postpaid phone churn, the percentage of customers that ended their postpaid wireless service, climbed by 3 basis points year over year in the first quarter of 2026. “January was particularly competitive and particularly heavy in one-dimensional competition based on subsidies,” said Gopalan during the call.Competition in the wireless market is expected to intensify as SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile is reportedly developing its own terrestrial U.S. mobile network, potentially becoming the country’s fourth major carrier. In a report from Fierce Network in May, Alex Besen, president of The Besen Group, warned that there is “not much” traditional carriers can do if Starlink becomes a major global wireless competitor. “They have to think how they’re going to remain in business with Starlink in the marketplace,” said Besen.Related: Verizon acquires 35-year-old wireless carrier as it shuts down

If you’ve ever shopped at Dollar Tree before, you know that it can sometimes be a frustrating experience. It’s sort of similar to Costco. You walk in expecting your favorite stuff to be sitting there on the shelf, only to realize it’s been replaced with different products. But whereas products tend to disappear at Costco due to inventory rotation, at Dollar Tree, products often go missing due to logistical challenges. Empty shelves are a frustrating thing for Dollar Tree customers because seeking out those same items elsewhere could mean paying more. At a time when broad inflation is up 4.2% year over year per the latest Consumer Price Index and grocery prices are up 2.7%, that’s a problem.The good news is that Dollar Tree is taking steps to solve the problem. The company is investing in a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Arizona and broader technology upgrades designed to move products to stores faster.That could make for a much-improved shopping experience.Better logistics could mean fewer empty shelvesDollar Tree’s new distribution center in Litchfield Park, Arizona, will serve more than 700 stores across the West and Southwest, cutting delivery times while giving the retailer more flexibility when disruptions occur elsewhere in its network. Company executives say the facility is one piece of a broader effort to create a faster, more scalable supply chain.Related: Sam’s Club just made a holiday closure decision Costco didn’t“It’s built to handle the volume we need today while also giving us room to grow in the future,” Chief Supply Chain Officer Roxanne Weng told Supply Chain Dive.At the same time, Dollar Tree is replacing legacy systems with improved technology that gives it better visibility into inventory and product movement across its stores and distribution network. While shoppers may never notice those behind-the-scenes changes, they should notice the results.A more efficient supply chain means fewer out-of-stock items, quicker replenishment of popular products, and a better chance that seasonal merchandise arrives while customers still want it.

Dollar Tree’s new Arizona distribution center aims to reduce delivery times.Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock

The changes come at an important timeDollar Tree has been reshaping its business over the past year, including completing the sale of Family Dollar so management can focus entirely on growing the Dollar Tree banner. At the same time, inflation-conscious shoppers continue to rely on discount retailers for everyday essentials and impulse purchases. That puts extra pressure on Dollar Tree to keep shelves stocked.More Retail:Costco sees major shift in member behaviorRetail chain shuts all locations as legal changes hit industryCostco makes major investment in online shopping for membersIf customers repeatedly can’t find the products they’re looking for, they may simply shop elsewhere.By investing in distribution centers, inventory technology, and logistics, Dollar Tree is betting that better execution behind the scenes will create a better shopping experience in stores.“Our continued focus on improving inventory… supports fresher assortments for our customers, working capital efficiency and stronger free cash flow generation,” CFO Stewart Glendinning said during Dollar Tree’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call. Dollar Tree saw comparable store sales rise 3.5% year over year and the average ticket grow 4.5% during its most recent operating quarter. The company credits much of that success to its focus on its multi-price assortment.If Dollar Tree is able to improve logistics and keep its stores well-stocked, it could gain an even greater share of shoppers as consumers seek out value at a time when life has gotten overwhelmingly expensive.Related: Dollar Tree expands service many customers can’t afford

Saving for retirement has become increasingly automated. For millions of Americans, money flows into a 401(k) every paycheck, investments are managed in target-date funds, and account balances grow over decades with little day-to-day decision-making.Retirement changes everything. Instead of figuring out how to save, retirees must decide how to turn those accumulated assets into reliable income, a challenge many are unprepared to navigate.An AARP Research study of more than 1,400 workers ages 50 to 70 finds that most have not developed a strategy to convert their nest egg into steady retirement income.AARP’s retirement income study exposes a planning blind spotThe research, fielded in late 2025 among 1,422 adults with access to employer-sponsored retirement plans, focused on workers who are not yet retired but are approaching the transition from accumulation to decumulation.When asked how they would prefer to draw income from their workplace savings, participants overwhelmingly favored automatic distribution, where a fixed amount is distributed on a set schedule.Related: AARP study addresses common fear that Social Security will endEvan Mills, an associate financial advisor at Scholar Financial Advising, warns retirees against treating savings as a single undifferentiated pool.”The biggest mistake I usually see when working with retirees is their treating their retirement savings like one big checking account and every dollar as equally valuable,” said Mills.About 12% said they were very likely and 49% somewhat likely to use that approach, AARP Research reported. AARP attributed the preference for scheduled withdrawals over managed accounts or annuities to two factors: Greater control over savings and easier access to funds.Annuity support collapses once participants learn the tradeoffsOne of the study’s findings involved how quickly enthusiasm for guaranteed income products faded once participants understood what they were agreeing to.When participants received a general description of annuities, 18% expressed strong interest, and 41% expressed moderate interest. Once the survey explained that payments never adjust, savings cannot be refunded, and dying early could mean getting less than you paid in, strong interest fell to 8%, and moderate interest dropped to 36%.

Interest in annuities dropped sharply after people learned about the tradeoffs.skynesher/Getty Images

TIAA Institute and Nuveen research reinforces AARP’s conclusionsA parallel study published in June 2026 by the TIAA Institute and Nuveen reached similar results using a larger, broader sample of more than 2,100 employees across all career stages.Only 22% of respondents had given serious thought to how they would draw down their retirement accounts, the survey found.Workers correctly answered just 25% of survey questions about withdrawal mechanics, and nearly half could not answer a single question on the topic correctly, the TIAA Institute reported.”Yet despite that scale, too many Americans arrive at retirement without a clear strategy for turning their savings into income that will last,” Brendan McCarthy, head of Nuveen Retirement Investing, said in a statement.Nearly half of 401(k) savers underestimate how long they will live past 65The knowledge gap on withdrawals becomes more alarming when paired with another finding from the TIAA Institute’s research: 44% of 401(k) participants underestimate how long they are likely to live after age 65.”You can’t solve for income that lasts a lifetime if you don’t understand how long that lifetime might be,” said Surya Kolluri, head of the TIAA Institute.More Retirement:Dave Ramsey raises red flag on major IRA, Roth IRA decisionSocial Security’s $30 trillion hole sparks tax debateIRS raises 401(k) limits but most workers lag behindMargie Glenn, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant at Moneta, told Yahoo Finance that the absence of a formal drawdown strategy exposes retirees to risk from both directions.”You risk either overspending early and jeopardizing your long-term security, or fearfully underspending and failing to enjoy the retirement you sacrificed a lifetime to build,” Glenn explained.Workers want employers to step in with retirement income guidanceBoth studies point to a demand for employer action that current plan designs are not meeting, as 94% of participants in the TIAA Institute and Nuveen survey said employers need to provide resources on withdrawal decisions.Among employees who used both interactive and non-interactive planning tools offered through their plan, 53% reported strong confidence in choosing the right withdrawal approach, nearly double the 28% rate among those who used neither type of tool, the survey showed.Kevin Crain, executive director of the Institutional Retirement Income Council, predicted in the IRIC’s 2026 forecast that 2026 will be the year plan sponsors shift from exploring retirement income solutions to implementing them at scale.AARP’s data signals a structural gap in how 401(k) plans serve older workersThe AARP study describes a retirement system that has succeeded at accumulation through auto-enrollment, employer matching, and diversified fund menus, but has fallen short on the phase that follows.The decumulation side remains largely unsupported within the plans themselves, and workers approaching retirement are left to navigate that transition with limited tools and insufficient understanding of the products available to them, the report suggested.For the millions of Americans counting on a 401(k) as their main retirement paycheck, the research points to an uncomfortable gap: The biggest financial decision of their lives is the one their plan is least built to help them make.Related: AARP sounds alarm on key 401(k), Social Security shift

Semiconductor equipment makers have spent most of this decade at the mercy of a single question. How long will chipmakers keep spending?For years, nobody knew the answer. Fabrication plants planned in short cycles, and equipment suppliers assumed the boom would eventually slow down.That assumption is being tested in 2026, and Applied Materials (AMAT) has become the clearest test case.AMAT stock has climbed sharply. Wall Street keeps raising targets, and Goldman Sachs just told clients the stock can still climb higher.Why Goldman Sachs raised its Applied Materials price target to $645Goldman Sachs kept its buy rating on Applied Materials and lifted its 12-month price target to $645from $520, MarketScreener reports.Goldman applies about 32 times a normalized earnings figure of roughly $20 per share, Odaily noted. That means the bank is paying up for durability rather than for one strong quarter.More AI Stocks:Goldman Sachs turns its back on major semiconductor stockGoldman Sachs resets AMD stock price target for the rest of 2026Veteran analyst drops massive Micron valuation predictionThe reason is DRAM. DRAM sits inside servers, and in its high-bandwidth form, it sits next to every serious AI accelerator. Applied Materials sells the tools that build it.Goldman expects the company to grow faster than its peers in 2026. Order visibility now stretches into 2028, and pricing gains could add to that.What Applied Materials does, and why DRAM demand changes its earningsApplied Materials is not a chip designer. It makes the machines that deposit, etch, and package the layers inside a chip. That means AMAT earns money when fabrication plants expand, rather than when a specific chip sells well.That distinction matters for investors, because it turns AMAT into a bet on capital spending across the whole industry, instead of a bet on one customer.Related: Goldman Sachs sees AMD entering earnings with 1 powerful advantageApplied Materials posted record fiscal second-quarter revenue of $7.91 billion, up about 20% from a year earlier, with earnings of $2.86 a share against a $2.68 estimate.Goldman now predicts non-GAAP earnings of $14.15 a share for 2026, about 6% above the consensus figure tracked by StockAnalysis.Where the growth is coming fromDRAM and high-bandwidth memory buildouts, including new greenfield fabsLeading-edge logic at the 2nm generation and belowAdvanced packaging, where management guides for more than 50% revenue growth in calendar 2026How Applied Materials stock has traded against the market this yearNumbers only matter here because they explain why Goldman had to move at all.According to Yahoo Finance, Applied Materials opened near $627 on Thursday, July 9, up about 6.8% on the session. The stock is also up roughly 22% over the past month, with a market value near $470 billion.So far in 2026, the shares are up about 127%. The S&P 500 has gained roughly 10% over the same stretch.Applied has already delivered the kind of return that usually arrives only after a target hike, and the run has drawn a steady stream of target increases.Applied Materials versus the broader market in 2026AMAT, year to date: Up about 127%S&P 500, year to date: Up about 10%AMAT, past month: Up about 22%AMAT, from its 52-week high of $739.67: Still down about 18%What the Applied Materials CEO said about chip demand through 2030The stock jumped on July 9 after CEO Gary Dickerson told Nikkei Asia that chipmakers are now handing over equipment demand forecasts covering two years or more. He also noted some plans reaching as far as 2030.Long-range forecasts from customers give a supplier confidence to add capacity before the orders formally arrive.Wall Street heard the same thing Goldman did. TD Cowen lifted its target to $700 from $525 on the same day, and Mizuho moved to $650, Nikkei Asia reported.

Applied Materials supplies the deposition, etch, and packaging tools chipmakers use to build advanced AI chips.Sundry Photography / Getty Images

The semiconductor setup that makes this call harder than it looksGoldman is confident about the fundamentals and cautious on the entry point, and the bank says so plainly in its second-quarter semiconductor preview, Odaily reported.Analysts expect most chip sub-sectors to beat estimates this quarter, but the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index has already gained about 88% against roughly 14% for the S&P 500.When a sector runs that far ahead of the index, good results stop being enough. The bar moves with the price.Applied Materials reports its fiscal third-quarter results on Aug. 13, with consensus at $3.39 a share on revenue of $8.94 billion, Blockonomi reported.Risks Applied Materials investors should weigh before buying the rallyGoldman names two specific dangers, and neither is priced into a 127% gain this year.The first is regulatory. New export restrictions on advanced tools would hurt a company that sells most of its equipment to China, Taiwan, and Korea.The second is competitive. Domestic Chinese equipment suppliers keep taking a share, and every point they win comes out of Applied’s addressable market. The company flags both risks in its SEC filings.What would have to go right for the $645 target to holdDRAM and HBM capacity plans stay on schedule rather than slipping a quarter.Advanced packaging clears the 50% growth bar management set for calendar 2026.Export rules stay roughly where they are.Hyperscaler capital spending holds through the second half of the year.What this means for Applied Materials investors deciding what to do nextGoldman’s $645 target sits below where several rivals now stand, and it sits close to today’s price. That says something useful.The average target across 29 analysts is about $617.21, which means the stock has already outrun the consensus view of fair value.For long-term holders, the DRAM and packaging story looks structural rather than cyclical, and it echoes the memory demand shift.For new investors, the August 13 earnings report is what to watch, since it will show whether the multi-year forecasts Dickerson described are turning into booked orders.Buying a stock after it has doubled is not automatically a mistake. However, it removes the margin for error that made the trade attractive in the first place.Related: Top analysts set jaw-dropping Micron stock target after surge

A luxury retail giant is accelerating its restructuring efforts by selling its beauty business and ending a decade-long licensing partnership a year ahead of schedule.The transaction transfers one of fashion’s biggest beauty brands to a new long-term partner, ending an agreement that wasn’t set to expire for another year. It’s a move that also marks another major step in the company’s broader strategy to streamline operations, reduce debt, and strengthen its balance sheet following several years of weakening financial performance.Kering ends Gucci partnership a year earlyKering Group (PPRUY) has announced that Gucci and L’Oréal (LRLCY) have entered into a 50-year exclusive beauty licensing agreement, expected to begin in mid-2027.The new partnership will replace Gucci’s existing beauty license with Coty (COTY), which began in 2016 and had been scheduled to expire on June 30, 2028.”By combining Gucci’s global desirability and distinctive creative vision with L’Oréal’s unparalleled expertise in beauty, innovation capabilities and worldwide distribution network, the partnership aims to unlock significant long-term growth opportunities across fragrance and beauty,” said Kering in a company announcement.According to Kering, the partnership is expected to strengthen Gucci’s desirability and brand equity by increasing its global reach across fragrance and beauty.”By fully harnessing the complementary strengths of beauty and fashion, Gucci and L’Oréal aim to deepen consumer engagement, broaden the House’s global reach and reinforce the consistency, relevance and impact of the brand across categories,” the company added.L’Oréal gets a big-name partnerFor L’Oréal, the agreement expands its portfolio of luxury beauty brands with one of fashion’s most recognizable names while securing long-term rights to develop and market Gucci fragrances and cosmetics.Because the agreement begins before Coty’s license expires, Coty will receive approximately $400 million in compensation for the early termination.The related cash payments are expected to total $250 million during 2026 and up to $150 million in 2027. Selected inventories will also be acquired as part of the transition.L’Oréal will cover transition costs equal to about 70% of the early redemption costs and inventory value, helping facilitate the orderly transfer of the license.Why Kering is selling its beauty operationsThe agreement is part of Kering’s broader effort to strengthen its financial position after several years of declining sales and mounting debt, a key investor concern.”The proceeds will strengthen the balance sheet and support deleveraging, adding to the 1 billion euro reduction in net debt already achieved in the first half of 2025,” Juliane Barthold and Stoyan Toshev from Frankfurt-based brokerage Metzler told Reuters.The analysts added that Kering will continue generating royalty income from its beauty brands through long-term licensing agreements.At the end of June 2025, Kering reported net debt of €9.5 billion (approximately $10.9 billion), along with €6 billion (about $6.9 billion) in long-term lease liabilities.

Kering enters a beauty licensing agreement with Gucci and L’Oréal.CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

How Kering’s beauty strategy shifted in just three yearsKering launched Kering Beauté in 2023 after acquiring Creed for €3.5 billion (approximately $4 billion), aiming to diversify beyond luxury fashion and capitalize on the faster-growing global beauty market.On October 19, 2025, the company revealed plans to sell Kering Beauté to L’Oréal, granting the cosmetics giant a 50-year exclusive license to create, develop, and distribute fragrance and beauty products for brands including Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Creed.The acquisition closed on March 31, 2026. However, Gucci’s beauty rights remained with Coty under the existing licensing agreement, delaying the transition.The newly announced agreement allows that transition to happen roughly one year earlier than originally planned.Gucci Beauty operates separately from Gucci’s fashion business and includes fragrances and cosmetics, which were relaunchedin 2019. Why Kering built and sold its beauty businessKering originally created Kering Beauté to diversify its business as growth in luxury fashion has slowed.According to McKinsey & Company’s State of Fashion 2026 Report, the global fashion industry is expected to grow only at a low-single-digit rate in 2026 as macroeconomic uncertainty, tariffs, and cautious consumer spending continue weighing on demand.Beauty, however, has remained one of the strongest-performing consumer categories.That resilience made beauty an attractive diversification opportunity for fashion companies even as demand for apparel softened.McKinsey & Company’s State of Beauty 2025 Report estimates the global beauty industry was worth approximately $450 billion in 2025 and projects annual growth of about 5% through 2030.In the U.S., prestige beauty sales increased 2% to $16 billion during the first half of 2025, while mass-market beauty sales rose 4% to $34.6 billion, according to Circana. Despite those favorable industry trends, Kering’s overall business continued to weaken, prompting the company to refocus on improving its financial conditions rather than expanding its beauty operations.Here’s some of my previous coverage on beauty retail closures:11-year-old cosmetics brand puts business up for sale amid slump12-year-old beauty brand closing nearly all storesTwo beloved beauty brands shut down in 2026Kering continues to face declining salesIn fiscal 2024, the last year Kering separately reported Kering Beauté’s results, company revenue declined 12% year over year, while comparable revenue also fell 12%.During the fiscal 2024 earnings call, executives said they intended to build Kering Beauté into a profitable global business by leveraging the strength of the group’s luxury brands.The company also launched several new fragrances, which executives said exceeded internal expectations. Kering Beauté generated €323 million (approximately $369.1 million) in revenue during fiscal 2024, driven primarily by Creed’s performance. However, growth slowed in subsequent quarters.By full-year 2025, Kering reported a negative €320 million (around $365.7 million) revenue change for Kering Beauté, underscoring the challenges facing the business before its sale.Related: IKEA closing key U.S. stores

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 dealNow that working from home is far more common than in years prior, we know you’re taking more consideration into the set-up you have to do so. A standard desk is always useful, but not everyone has the space for one. Plus, sometimes, they simply look clunky and out-of-style. What’s better is furniture that’s functional when you’re both on the clock and off, and nothing checks both those boxes like the Yaheetech Lift-Top Coffee Table.Not only is it a super stylish coffee table perfect for storage or holding your morning cup of coffee, but a piece of it lifts up and out so that you can use it as a workspace on your chair or couch. What’s even better is that the $55 table is on sale for 15% off at Amazon, allowing you to score one for your living or family room for just $47. Yaheetech Lift-Top Coffee Table, $47 (was $55) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Shop at AmazonWhy do shoppers love it?Coffee tables come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, and finding the right one for your living or family room might be trickier than picking out other furniture because your coffee table often acts as the central point to which all other furniture is arranged around. That said, they can also be limiting, especially if they lack drawers or space for storage and are designed more as a decorative piece than a functional piece of furniture. Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about that with this lift-top coffee table.Not only do the hidden compartments and drawer offer you space to tuck away books, coasters, electronic devices, chargers, and other everyday essentials, but the flexible top piece allows you to transform your coffee table into an efficient at-home work space. The full table measures 39.5 inches long, 19.7 inches wide, and 17.7 inches tall when the lift-top piece isn’t elevated. However, when it is pulled off, it can go as high as 23.5 inches and pulls up and out to keep you from having to reach for it. To note, the entire tabletop does not lift up, only one side. The compartment under the lift-top portion provides storage space and measures 18.5 inches long, 18.7 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. Meanwhile, the drawer is perfect for more sensitive items or items that you prefer to keep out of sight. It measures 16.5 inches long, 20 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. Overall, the table has a weight capacity inside of 198 pounds, and the top portion can hold up to 22 pounds. On the sides, there are two open storage shelves for additional items.The table is constructed from particleboard, medium-density fiberwood (MDF), metal, solid wood, and polyester fabric — so all in all, durability is the name of the game. The MDF and particleboard give the table a sturdy construction with a dense, smooth finish that’s soft and looks sleek. They both contribute to the furniture’s superior strength. It has a lacquered coating that only adds to its stylish look. Related: Amazon’s tall farmhouse storage cabinet with ‘plenty of space’ is on sale for just $95Available in two colors, the coffee table is perfect for holding laptops and files while you’re working from home or an assortment of refreshments when you’re hosting guests. Details to knowMaterial: Particleboard and medium-density fiberwood, metal, solid wood, and polyester fabric. Dimensions: The table measures 39.5 inches long, 19.7 inches wide, and 17.7 inches high. When the tabletop piece is lifted off, the table measures 23.5 inches high at its highest point. Weight capacity: The interior of the table can hold up to 198 pounds and the tabletop itself can hold up to 22 pounds. Colors: Two.Shoppers are thoroughly impressed with the easy assembly process and gorgeous finished product upon completion. It’s both sturdy and stable, and because it sits elevated off the ground you can easily clean around or under it without having to move it. “Beautiful, functional, and good quality for the price,” one shopper said. It’s perfect for shoppers without a lot of space and the lift-top is very easy to transition the furniture from coffee table to workspace. Shop more deals Vasagle End Table with Charging Station (Set of 2), $38 (was $70) at AmazonWLive Lift-Top Coffee Table, $63 (was $70) at AmazonHuuger Nightstand (Set of 2), $43 (was $60) at AmazonQuality furniture shouldn’t come at a massive cost, and with Amazon’s latest sale on the Yaheetech Lift-Top Coffee Table, you can see that firsthand for yourself. 

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 dealOutdoor gatherings don’t have to stop when the sun goes down. With easy and accessible lighting, any patio can be updated to offer a soft glow for the evening. But, if you’re looking for something more central that can offer more than just a soft glow, a fire pit is a great option, making the space more useful throughout the year and creating a functional central location to hang out, roast marshmallows, and, in the case of the deal we found at Walmart, even use it as a table to set plates and drinks.The Philergo Gas Fire Pit Table is a great option for get-togethers throughout the year. The gas option offers easy temperature control, making it a comfortable option for summer on the low setting, while turning up the heat during the colder months. Originally $400, shoppers can get this multi-use fire pit for just $180 right now with a Walmart Flash deal. Philergo Gas Fire Pit Table, $180 (was $400) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?With the included table, this versatile propane fire pit can be used for multiple occasions. When the fire feature isn’t in use, the included lid covers the burner to create a larger flat surface that can be used as a coffee table, side table, or small dining table measuring 42 inches long, 20 inches deep, and 24 inches tall, providing room for up to six people. It’s powered by a propane burner with up to 60,000 BTUs of heat output for consistent warmth on the highest setting. A bag of lava rocks is included to complete the feature, while the stainless steel burner is built for long-term use.Related: Fire pits — outdoor decor or worthwhile home investment?The table is constructed from a powder-coated alloy steel with a rust-resistant and weather-resistant finish to help withstand outdoor conditions throughout the seasons, and the smooth edges are designed with safety in mind. It also features adjustable feet to ensure a stable setup on different surfaces, ensuring a solid surface to place drinks and plates. The side of the unit features a control knob that easily controls the flame height and warmth. The fire pit offers a sleek, modern look that can hide a 20-pound propane tank underneath, keeping it safe and out of the way. The pros and cons of this dealProsDual-function: It functions as both a 60,000-BTU propane fire pit and an outdoor coffee table.Hidden propane storage: The design offers a nice-looking fire pit that hides the propane and is easy to use. Cons Propane not included: The tank is not included, and might need to be filled often, depending on how much you use it. Relatively heavy: Weighing just over 60 pounds, this fire pit may be difficult to move around the backyard and patio. One reviewer loved this fire pit, saying, “I am very pleased with this purchase. The setup took about 30 minutes, and it looks amazing. The size is perfect for our back porch and keeps it much warmer for chilly evenings. We were able to set up six chairs around it, and it makes for a great experience. It’s definitely worth the money, and I would recommend it to anyone. The area around the fire itself is enough to put a drink on it and not get hot. It’s a game changer for the back porch. We absolutely love it.””It’s a nice fire pit, and it puts out a lot of heat,” said another buyer. “It was easy to put together and only took 15 minutes. Used for the first time, and it was easy to start! Happy with this purchase.”Shop more dealsBali Outdoor Fire Pit Table, $140 (was $160) at WalmartYdlw Multipurpose Fire Pit Table, $56 (was $80) at WalmartPhilergo Square Fire Pit Table, $142 (was $310) at WalmartThe Philergo Gas Fire Pit Table offers convenience, ease of use, and quick warmth during chilly nights. It’s a great option for a central hangout spot in your backyard, and the setup is also quick and easy. With the hidden storage, it offers a sleek look that can match a variety of patio setups, and best of all, shoppers can save 55% right now at Walmart.