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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 dealOne of our favorite things about spring and summer is how an outdoor area can become even cozier when it gets dark. A sunset won’t stop us from enjoying the outdoors, and with the right lighting, you can create an enjoyable ambiance that allows you to stay parked in your patio chair until midnight if you want to. These days, outdoor lighting is even easier to set up because many options, like the Mainstays Solar-Powered Landscape Lights from Walmart, don’t require an electrical outlet to plug into whenever you want to use them. Many models automatically turn on once dusk starts to settle in, and they get their power from the sun itself, not through some unsightly extension cord.Now that summer is finally here, outdoor and patio deals are plentiful, but sometimes a product is priced so well, even without a sale, like in the case of the Mainstays Solar-Powered Landscape Lights, you almost can’t believe it. The lights, which are available individually for about $1 and in a six-pack for only $8, are the easy solution to adding some gentle lighting to your outdoor patio, pool deck, or backyard without overwhelming you with blinding light. Add some nice ambiance and be able to see exactly where you’re going with these handy lighting fixtures. Mainstays Solar-Powered Landscape Lights, $8 at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Different lights serve different purposes in your backyard. Hanging lights might emit a warm, cozy glow that helps you see your surroundings better, but they won’t do so well helping you see where you’re going when you’re on the move. Stake-in lights, like these Mainstay ones, are perfect at lining landscaping, driveways, patio pathways, gardens, and more, so that you can not only see where you’re walking when it’s dark but give your backyard space more dimension once the sun has set.Each light measures 14.21 inches in length, but it’s broken up into three individual pieces. The top of the light measures 2.30 inches long and connects to a middle portion measuring 7.09 inches long. Each light has a sharp stake-in bottom, measuring 4.82 inches long, that easily pushes into the ground for a secure and stable placement. They won’t blow over or fall simply because an intense rain storm or heavy wind blows through. They are waterproof, heat-resistant, and frost-resistant. The lights are equipped with a 150 milliampere-hour (mAh) rechargeable battery that charges via direct sunlight. Solar energy charges up the battery to emit 2 lumen (lm) of light for a consistent eight-hour period throughout the night. Each light has an automatic dusk-to-dawn operation that will turn the light on without prompting once the sun starts to set and will shut them off come sunrise. Related: Walmart is selling ‘stunning’ $55 outdoor solar lights for only $24With a 2-lumen brightness, the lights are certainly not as bright as a spotlight. Rather, they have a very low-intensity light ideal for creating ambiance and providing extra safety precautions without causing disruption. Details to knowDimensions: The light fixture in total measures 14.21 inches. The in-ground stake portion measures 4.82 inches long, the middle portion that sits above ground measures 7.09 inches long, and the light itself measures 2.30 inches long. Pack sizes: One or six. Run time: 8 hours. Brightness: 2 lumen (lm).  Shoppers find the lights, which are quite thin in width, very sturdy and secure once staked into the ground. “They give off a clean, bright glow that makes walkways look great at night,” one shopper said. Shoppers love that they are solar-powered, so they don’t have to worry about charging them or plugging them into an electrical outlet when they want to use them. They have a sleek, simple design that looks great in any backyard. “Hands down the cheapest but best little solar lights I’ve used on my farm,” another shopper said. Shop more deals Gvdv 18-Inch Fire Pit, $110 (was $130) at WalmartExcMark 10-Pack Outdoor Solar Lights, $30 (was $55) at WalmartDon’t struggle to see when you’re enjoying your outdoor area this summer and the sun has gone down. Enjoy spending more time outdoors under a nice, faint glow with the Mainstays Solar-Powered Landscape Lights. 

China’s EV market has become one of the most brutally competitive automotive environments on earth. Domestic brands are fast, aggressive on price, and deeply familiar with local consumer preferences. For a foreign automaker trying to hold ground there, the math gets harder every quarter.Tesla ($TSLA) just reported its June China numbers, and they tell a story about a company finding traction in a market where foreign automakers rarely gain ground.What Tesla’s June and second quarter China numbers actually showChina-made deliveries of the Model 3 and Model Y rose 24.4% year on year in June to 89,091 vehicles, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association cited by Reuters. June marked the eighth consecutive month of year-on-year growth for Tesla’s Shanghai output.June followed an even stronger May, when China-made sales climbed 39.4% year on year to 85,982 units. Two months of gains at that pace are hard to explain away as seasonal noise. Something has improved in Shanghai’s production and distribution flow, and it held through June.More Tesla:Tesla faces lawsuit from family of victim killed in Texas home crashWhy a fatal crash threatens Tesla’s stockTesla stock has a SpaceX problem, veteran analyst saysThe Q2 figure adds more context. Tesla’s combined China sales and exports from the Shanghai factory were up 32.8% year on year for the full second quarter, Reuters reported. Investors watching for signs that the Shanghai plant is running efficiently and shipping consistently will find that number more useful than any single monthly reading.For Q2 overall, Tesla was expected to report a 5% year-on-year increase in global vehicle deliveries to approximately 402,780 vehicles, boosted by stronger demand in Europe, Yahoo Finance noted. Shanghai supplies both the Chinese domestic market and European buyers from the same production line, so stronger output there flows into the global number directly.Why a conflict in the Middle East is helping Tesla sell cars in ChinaPart of June’s gain came from Chinese buyers. Part of it came from cars shipped to Europe. A spike in gasoline costs following the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran pushed more European consumers toward electric vehicles, according to Reuters. With pump prices climbing sharply across several major European markets in late spring, consumers who had been weighing an EV purchase moved faster than they otherwise would have. Tesla’s Shanghai factory, which serves as the export hub for Europe, was positioned to capture that demand.Investors reading Tesla’s China-made number as a pure measure of Chinese consumer appetite are only seeing half the picture. June’s figure also captures European consumers reacting to a geopolitical event thousands of miles from the factory building their cars. The Shanghai plant’s dual role makes that kind of cross-regional demand shift possible in a way it would not be for a manufacturer running separate production lines for each market.New energy vehicles accounted for over two-thirds of all new car sales in China in early June 2026, a record level of market penetration, Reuters reported. Tesla’s gains are happening inside a rapidly growing market, which makes the competitive context more forgiving than it was a year ago.

Chinese buyers have shown they are comfortable with EVs.Gallup/Getty Images

What eight months of growth means for Tesla stock investorsEight consecutive months of year-on-year growth in Tesla’s most important overseas market is a meaningful signal. For much of the past year, the debate has been whether Tesla was losing structural ground to Chinese competitors. Eight months of gains does not end that debate, but it complicates the bear case.The Shanghai plant’s dual role also gives Tesla a buffer most automakers do not have. One factory supplying China and Europe means a slowdown in one market can be partially absorbed by demand from the other. In a business where regional demand rarely moves in sync, that kind of flexibility shows up in the output numbers.Margins are the harder conversation. Tesla has cut prices in China multiple times over the past two years to stay competitive. It now sells the Model 3 and Model Y at significantly lower price points than it did when the current generation launched. Volume has recovered as a result, but the margin implications of that pricing have been a recurring concern for investors. Whether June’s growth is coming with acceptable profit per vehicle is a question the sales data alone cannot answer. The earnings call does.What to watch as Tesla heads into the second half of 2026Whether European demand holds is the first variable to watch. If fuel prices in Europe normalize as the Iran ceasefire takes hold, the export tailwind helping Shanghai’s numbers may fade. Tesla would then need Chinese domestic buyers to carry the momentum on their own.Chinese buyers have shown they are comfortable with EVs. New energy vehicles took over two-thirds of the market in June. Tesla’s job in that environment is staying relevant on features and value against BYD and other local brands that move faster on software and price. BYD has been consistently outselling Tesla in China on total volume. Xiaomi entered the premium EV segment in 2024 and has been pushing directly into Tesla’s price tier. Those competitors know the Chinese consumer better than any foreign automaker does.Tesla has navigated eight months of that competition and come out ahead on volume. Whether it can make nine is the next data point. Whether it can do it at margins investors are willing to accept is the more important one.Related: Tesla rival says Elon Musk still has one major edge

Home affordability is a national crisis. The median monthly mortgage payment hit an annual high of $2,647 in June, according to Redfin data.High home prices and mortgage rates hovering around 6.5% are the two main reasons monthly housing payments have soared.When we spend a large percentage of our incomes on monthly mortgage payments, we risk becoming “house poor.” This means that, although we may be homeowners, we spend so much on the house that there isn’t enough room in our budgets to save, invest, or build wealth in general.”You deserve more than a life that’s loaded with stress about whether or not you can make a house payment,” bestselling personal finance author and radio host Dave Ramsey posted to his Facebook page on June 26.The post included a clip from an episode of his podcast, The Ramsey Show.”You become house poor when your payment is too big a percentage of your take-home pay,” Ramsey said in the clip. “You need that margin to be able to build wealth, to be able to be generous, and to be able to build a quality life. And if you pinch yourself with a huge freaking house payment as a percentage of your take-home pay, it’s very difficult to do.”What’s included in monthly housing payments?When people refer to “monthly housing payments” or “monthly mortgage payments,” you may think they’re talking about what you put toward your mortgage principal and interest each month.But a monthly housing payment includes much more than the principal and interest.To calculate your monthly payment, think of the acronym PITI. This stands for principal, interest, taxes, and insurance, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.Related: Americans face major decision with mortgage rate newsThe “taxes” in PITI pertains to property taxes. The “insurance” is both homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance. The type of mortgage insurance you need depends on which type of mortgage loan you have.If you get a conforming conventional loan and make a 20% down payment, you don’t have to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). In that case, the only type of insurance that would factor into your monthly payment would be homeowners insurance.You should also incorporate homeowners association (HOA) dues into your monthly housing payment, if applicable. I understand why monthly housing payments are so high. Yes, it’s expensive homes and relatively high mortgage rates. But these other costs also increase. For example, mortgage insurance is a percentage of your loan amount. The exact cost depends on various factors, but PMI usually ranges from $30 to $70 monthly for every $100,000 you borrow, according to Freddie Mac. As home prices increase, homebuyers may need to borrow more with a mortgage loan. The more you borrow, the more you’ll pay each month toward mortgage insurance.So, with monthly housing payments being so expensive, how do you avoid becoming house poor?Vanguard emphasizes the importance of a budgetIt’s not enough to simply think about how much you can afford to put toward a housing payment each month.”Look at your budget,” writes financial services company Vanguard. “What would you consider a comfortable monthly mortgage payment? This will help you determine how much you can afford to pay for a house.”The keyword here is “comfortable.” Don’t just consider what you can afford if you scrape by each month. That’s how you become house poor, unable to save, cover emergencies, or even afford to enjoy discretionary spending. Instead, decide what you can comfortably afford.More Housing Costs:Housing costs force a generation to put moving out on holdRedfin sees shift in housing market, home pricesWhy first-time homebuyers face a stacked deck right nowVanguard suggests using the 50/30/20 rule to determine how much you can comfortably afford each month.With the 50/30/20 rule, you use 50% of your post-tax income for necessary living expenses. This includes your monthly housing payment, along with costs such as groceries, utilities, and health care.Then, you spend 30% on things you want. The last 20% goes toward saving, investing, and debt repayment.Using this rule, you’d calculate 50% of your post-tax income and determine how much you already spend on necessities. Then, you’d see how much room you have left to put toward a monthly housing payment.Dave Ramsey focuses on 25% rule, 15-year mortgagesDave Ramsey is also a huge proponent for only spending what you can comfortably afford on a house each month. Ramsey’s overarching message for his readers and listeners is about how to build wealth. It’s impossible to build wealth if you’re putting so much money toward your house that you can’t save or invest.As I wrote about on June 21, Dave Ramsey is a huge proponent of the 25% rule. With this rule, you spend 25% or less of your post-tax income on housing payments. He believes this leaves enough of a margin for people to reach other financial goals.”It’s why I only recommend getting a mortgage where the monthly payment is no more than 25% of your take-home pay at no more than a 15-year, fixed rate,” Ramsey wrote in his June 26 Facebook post.”That’s not easy to do for most people, but being hard doesn’t change the math of the situation,” he said.That’s right, not only does Ramsey recommend sticking to the 25% rule — he is also very opinionated that you should only get a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage loan.

Dave Ramsey is adamant that homebuyers use the 25% rule to determine what they can comfortably afford.Jackson Laizure / Getty Images

My home affordability calculationsIn the long run, Ramsey’s 15-year advice has merit. A 15-year mortgage charges a lower interest rate than the popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. You’ll pay your home off in half the time, and you’ll pay a lot less in interest.However, I don’t think the 15-year mortgage rule aligns with the rest of his advice about keeping monthly housing payments low.A monthly payment on a 15-year mortgage will be much higher than one on a 30-year mortgage.I’ll use an example with a $400,000 mortgage and the current average mortgage rates for 30-year and 15-year terms, according to Freddie Mac data. Keep in mind, these monthly payments only include the principal and interest, not taxes, insurance, or HOA dues. I’m calculating these numbers using the Bankrate mortgage calculator.If you take out a $400,000 mortgage with a 30-year term and 6.43% interest rate, your monthly payment toward the principal and interest would be $2,510. A $400,000 loan with a 15-year term and 5.79% rate would cost $3,330 monthly.That’s an $820 difference per month. For most of us, that is a fairly significant portion of our monthly income.Personally, I don’t agree in the hard-and-fast 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rule. If high monthly payments and home affordability are the main problems facing today’s homebuyers, it’s not very logical advice.I think the 25% rule is a good option for determining how much house you can comfortably afford. The 50/30/20 rule is also totally valid, but it takes a lot more mental math, considering you have to figure out how your housing payment and all of your other necessary expenses would add up to 50% of your take-home pay.Personally, I think the 28/36 debt-to-income (DTI) ratio rule makes the most sense for determining how much you can comfortably afford.The 28/36 rule suggests that you spend a maximum of 28% of your gross (pre-tax) monthly income toward housing payments, explains Chase Bank. You also should spend no more than 36% of your pre-tax income toward all monthly debt obligations, including your mortgage, credit cards, or other loans.After years of writing content about mortgages, I’ve found the 28/36 rule to be the most reliable when deciding how much house you can comfortably afford. It’s a popular “rule,” and many mortgage lenders use it when deciding whether to approve your mortgage application.Related: New home-selling strategy threatens to hurt buyers

You’d have to be on a field trip to the Strait of Hormuz to have missed Micron Technology (MU)’s latest roller coaster ride.In the lead-up to its June 24, 2026, earnings report, MU shares dropped 13% on concerns that the AI-driven memory boom might be peaking.But after the company reported stunning fiscal Q3 earnings, including 346% year-over-year revenue growth and even higher Q4 revenue guidance, jaws dropped on Wall Street, and MU surged 15%. The company had soundly proven that demand for AI memory is sizzling, and its future looks bright.If you’re wondering if you should invest now — or whether you’ve already missed the boat — you’re not alone.After all, memory chip companies like Micron are largely considered cyclical commodities, which means that stomach-churning volatility often comes with the territory. Micron itself is no stranger to this cycle, having teetered on the brink of disaster back in 2023, when its annual revenue fell by 49% amid weakening demand for PCs and smartphones.But there’s a fundamental shift underway in the memory chip industry that could make this cycle different from those that came before, and it has everything to do with artificial intelligence (AI), which is reshaping how much memory is needed worldwide — and which types are most in demand.Here’s a deeper dive into whether Micron is likely to be a sound long-term investment after its latest rally. Why Micron stands outFive years ago, if you were thinking about investing in a memory chip company like Micron, the question you needed to ask was “How many PCs will be sold?” Computers require large, scalable volumes of DRAM and NAND flash memory, and Micron was one of the planet’s biggest manufacturers.In 2026, however, the question has shifted to “How much memory does each AI server require?” That’s because, starting in late 2024, AI demand for memory began to overtake PC demand.High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) is a particularly valuable memory product because it is a critical component in data center GPUs and advanced AI accelerators.Standard memory is far too slow for these systems; HBM works by stacking layers of DRAM vertically and connecting them closely to a processor, allowing data to travel a shorter distance and at unprecedented speeds. But it doesn’t come cheap. HBM costs $10 to $20 per gigabyte. On a premium AI accelerator like the NVIDIA B200, for instance, the HBM alone costs $2,400.In addition, unlike ordinary PC memory, HBM is difficult to manufacture. Multiple DRAM dies, or ultra-thin silicon chips, are vertically layered and linked by thousands of microscopic data channels. HBM manufacturers are already operating near full capacity, and so customers like Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOG), and NVIDIA (NVDA) must secure their allocation years in advance. In fact, exploding AI demand has pushed HBM manufacturers to the limits of their current production capacity.This all means that pricing dynamics for memory chip companies have been much healthier than in the past, and, should the trend continue, Micron could experience a longer and more profitable upcycle than it has previously.But here’s where Micron’s real advantage lies. Right now, the HBM market is dominated by just three suppliers: SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, which are both based in South Korea, and Micron, which is based in Boise, Idaho.Micron is the only one of the three currently listed on US exchanges, giving investors direct exposure to the HBM boom through a stock that’s both widely followed and highly liquid.4 things to watch for when investing in MicronWhile all of these reasons make Micron seem like a compelling buy in the short term, long-term investors have opportunities as well. They just need to make sure that, to paraphrase Wayne Gretzky, they’re skating to where the puck is going, not where it has been.With that in mind, there are a few indicators investors can follow to gauge whether Micron’s margins are under pressure.1. DRAM prices — are they rising or falling?Simply put, DRAM prices are the biggest indicator of Micron’s profitability. That’s because data center and agentic AI models require massive amounts of DRAM, which allows Micron to raise prices to meet demand and, at the same time, amplify its gross margins.Related: Micron Technology’s stock buybacks explained2. Inventory levels — are Micron’s customers building or reducing them?Inventory trends are among the earliest signals of changes in demand. Analysts such as TrendForce and Gartner frequently publish data on semiconductor supply chain metrics; some of it is available for free.Investors can also watch for capital expenditure (capex) updates from companies such as Alphabet (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META), and Microsoft (MSFT), which are among the world’s largest consumers of HBM.Related: Who owns Micron Technology? A look at its top investors3. What are Micron’s competitors up to?Inquiring minds can also check out whether Samsung and SK Hynix are increasing production, since additional supply will eventually pressure prices.More on semiconductor stocks:Nvidia’s stock split history: Everything you need to knowAMD’s stock buybacks explained: History, balance & outlookDoes Intel pay dividends? History & future prospects explained4. Is HBM demand increasing?Unlike traditional DRAM, which is tied to PC and smartphone consumer buying cycles, HBM demand is connected to the buildout of AI accelerators from companies like NVIDIA and “hyperscalers,” including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms.So, if HBM supply begins to catch up with demand, Micron’s pricing power could begin to moderate. It’s simple economics.Related: Intel’s stock split history (& prospects) explained

It seems the ‘Big Short’ Michael Burry isn’t easing up on his criticism of the AI trade anytime soon.The hedge fund investor who became famous for betting against the 2008 housing bubble has spent the past few weeks sharpening his attack on AI stocks, and his latest posts pushed that warning into even darker territory.In his string of scathing social-media posts, he paired sharp language with charts showing a widening gap between chip stocks and the companies shelling out billions to build AI infrastructure. Over the past few months, Burry has taken AI stocks to the cleaners, building his case around stretched valuations, crowded trades, and a growing divide between AI chip winners and the hyperscalers paying for the buildout. The big concern is whether investors may have priced the winners as if the spending boom can keep compounding without disappointment.Why Burry says the AI trade is nearing troubleBurry’s latest AI troll was apocalyptic, warning of what could be the beginning of a grueling stock market crash. More Michael Burry:Michael Burry doubles down on AI chip bubble with Micron shortMichael Burry makes first-ever bet against longtime favorite stockMichael Burry just made a rare bullish bet on MicrosoftAccording to Seeking Alpha, Burry posted, “The end is nigh,” then added, “Dancing with the devil in the pale moon light,” a reference to Jack Nicholson’s Joker line from Tim Burton’s Batman. Burry wrote that “the AI narrative is nothing more than mass addiction,” and warned that “the AI narrative may die a death by a thousand cuts, and I have only seen a few dozen so far.”His charts pointed to two concerns. AI semiconductor stocks have sharply outperformed the hyperscale cloud companies funding the infrastructure buildout, as well as broader AI beneficiaries. Another chart showed the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index trading near the top of its 15-year valuation range on forward P/E.Burry argues that chip stocks may have raced ahead of the fundamentals supporting the AI boom.For perspective, according to Reuters, the chip sell-off hit the tape hard.The Philadelphia semiconductor index dropped 6.3% on July 1 and another 5.5% on July 2, while the S&P 500 tanked 0.22% and the Nasdaq dropped 0.66% and 0.80%, respectively.

Tony Avelar/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Why Michael Burry is turning harder against AI stocks Over the past few months, Burry’s AI warning has shifted from a single-name short to a broader attack on the trade’s poster children.It all goes back to early November last year, when his then-hedge fund, Scion Asset Management, disclosed put options on 1 million Nvidia shares and 5 million Palantir shares, according to Business Insider, betting against two of the biggest names in the AI space with positions valued at $187 million and $912 million, respectively. Since then, Burry has widened his bet.According to Business Insider, he recently disclosed bearish positions via put options on some of the biggest names in tech, including Tesla, Nvidia, Caterpillar, Applied Materials, and the iShares Semiconductor ETF.Memory giant Micron recently became the latest target of this scathing narrative.As covered by TheStreet’s top tech reporter, Aditya Raghunath, Burry disclosed on July 1 that he had shorted Micron (MU) shares at $1,051.87, according to a Substack post. The bet followed a huge rally, with the stock up nearly 700% over the past year and 241% in 2026. He framed the move as a bet against a herd-mentality rally, blaming “fear of missing out, the greater fool theory, and public commitment bias”.Burry’s broader argument is that the AI trade is effectively feeding on itself. Chip stocks jump primarily because big tech giants spend heavily on AI.Equipment makers rise because chip companies are building more capacity. Investors then treat every new spending plan as proof that demand will keep growing.After Samsung and SK Hynix announced a huge chip hub in Korea, The Wall Street Journal quoted Burry saying, “I see that as the beginning of the end.”He argues that investors might be paying too much, too soon, before it is clear whether all this spending will deliver strong returns.Burry sees AI spending, chip demand, and momentum-driven valuations as one crowded trade that could fall hard if expectations disappoint.The insane numbers behind the AI tradeAccording to Reuters, Nvidia hit $5 trillion in market value on Oct. 29, 2025, after its shares climbed 12-fold since ChatGPT’s 2022 launch. Essentially, one AI chipmaker became big enough to pull the whole market’s mood with it.According to Reuters, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta together carried more than $10 trillion in market value and made up 17% of the S&P 500 in April. According to Axios, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle raised $255.34 billion through debt and equity in 2026, while planning roughly $750 billion in AI data center spending by year-end. According to the Financial Times, the Magnificent Seven lost over $2.2 trillion in market value in June 2026. According to Business Insider, hyperscaler AI spending could reach $725 billion this year, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index is up 88%. According to Yahoo Finance, BofA’s Bubble Risk Indicator put the semiconductor sector at 0.91, flashing near-bubble risk. That does not mean a crash is guaranteed, but it shows how stretched the AI trade has become.
Sources: Reuters, Financial Times, Axios, Yahoo Finance, and Business Insider.
Related: Bill Ackman reveals why he still likes Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta stocks

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 dealSummer is coming up, and now’s the time to start sprucing up your outdoor space for the season. With lounge-worthy weather underway, we expect outdoor furniture prices to skyrocket. If you’re looking to get your hands on a new patio set without going over budget, look no further. We found a set for 32% off at Walmart.Originally $100, the Lofka 3-Piece Rocking Chair Patio Set is a set you’re going to want to see. Complete with rocking chairs and a side table, it’s made for outdoor relaxation. And on sale for just $68, it’s one of the most affordable patio sets we’ve seen.Lofka 3-Piece Rocking Chair Patio Set, $68 (was $100) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walamrt

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?A rocking chair is already relaxing enough. Pair it with a serene spring day, with the sun shining after a treacherous winter? Now, that sounds like a dream. This patio set has all the elements to make that a reality. The three-piece set comes with two rocking chairs and a side table, creating a cozy outdoor seating area. Each rocking patio chair measures 22.8 inches long by 28.9 inches wide by 31.5 inches high. They have an angular, modern design that differs from traditional wicker patio sets. The backrest and seat have an ergonomic curve made for comfort and relaxation, and are made of breathable Textilene fabric that keeps you cool during warm weather. The fabric is also tear-resistant and quick-drying, making it durable enough to withstand both rain and shine. The chair’s frame is made of sturdy powder-coated steel with a slip-resistant base and anti-tip design. The chairs have adjustable leg pads to keep you steady while you rock away, even on uneven surfaces. And the armrests feature wood accents that give these chairs a bit of rustic, natural charm. The matching side table is just 17.3 inches long by 17.3 inches wide by 15.6 inches high, providing a sturdy surface to place your drinks, snacks, or an outdoor lamp. It has a sleek tempered glass top that’s easy to clean, and it’s heat-resistant, so it can hold up against the hot summer days ahead. Related: Walmart is selling an all-weather 3-piece patio set for just $66Details to knowChair dimensions: 22.8 inches long by 28.9 inches wide by 31.5 inches high.Table dimensions: 17.3 inches long by 17.3 inches wide by 15.6 inches high.Chair weight capacity: Up to 300 pounds.Colors: Gray, brown, and black.The rocking chair patio set is ideal for small spaces, whether it’s a compact deck or an apartment balcony. It can even create a cozy, smaller seating area in a larger space. The set is available in three colors: black, brown, and gray.Shop more dealsLofka 3-Piece Patio Set, $90 at WalmartLacoo 3-Piece Rocking Chair Patio Set, $125 (was $170) at WalmartThe Lofka 3-Piece Rocking Chair Patio Set is just $68 at Walmart, and it’s the perfect addition to your home this summer.

Nike’s turnaround is showing signs of progress, but not enough for Wall Street to call it a clean comeback.And this is a problem for investors.The athletic giant is still one of the strongest brands in the world, with a major global sports presence and powerful franchises across running, basketball, football, and lifestyle sneakers.But shoppers have become harder to win back.Customers have more choices in performance footwear and athletic apparel, including brands such as Adidas, On, Hoka, New Balance, Anta, and Li-Ning. At the same time, Nike is trying to fix problems tied to slower innovation, weaker lifestyle demand, pressure from China, and a direct-to-consumer strategy that has lost momentum.That made Nike’s latest earnings report an important test.TheStreet previously covered Nike’s earnings preview, where Bank of America said investors would focus less on the quarter itself and more on guidance, China, and sell-through trends.Nike has now reported, and Bank of America remains cautious.Bank of America lowers Nike stock price targetIn a research note shared with TheStreet, BofA Securities analyst Lorraine Hutchinson summed up Nike’s latest earnings as “Choppy recovery.”BofA said Nike’s fourth quarter 2026 results were in line with expectations, but the bigger change was the company’s weaker sales outlook.Nike’s outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2027 now assumes revenue will be down in the low to mid-single digits. More Bank of America:Bank of America gives stock market investors a summer reality checkBank of America revamps interest-rate forecast for rest of 2026Bank of America takes firm position on inflation, economyStill, BofA said earnings expectations remain largely intact because gross-margin expansion is expected to begin in the first quarter, earlier than previously expected, and because Nike is using cost controls to protect profit.That is why the recovery is complicated.Nike is not simply getting worse. It is improving in some important areas, especially margins and cost discipline.But sales are still under pressure, making it harder for investors to assign a higher valuation to the stock.BofA kept its fiscal 2027 earnings estimate at $1.60 a share, saying lower sales should be offset by cost control and stronger gross margin. The firm also raised its fiscal 2028 earnings estimate to $2.13 from $2.00, reflecting lower selling, general, and administrative expenses.But Hutchinson lowered the price target because Nike’s sales recovery is taking longer than expected.The firm lowered its price target on Nike to $47 from $55 and maintained a Neutral rating on the shares after the company’s fourth-quarter 2026 earnings report.BofA’s new $47 price target is based on 22 times fiscal 2028 earnings, down from the prior 27 times multiple. The firm said that the discount reflects persistent negative sales growth and margin challenges.

Nike’s stock is down 30% year to date.Shutterstock

Nike earnings show why the recovery is unevenNike reported fiscal Q4 revenue of $11.0 billion, down 1% on a reported basis and down 4% on a currency-neutral basis.Nike Brand revenue was $10.7 billion, down 3% on a currency-neutral basisWholesale revenue rose 4% on a reported basis to $6.6 billionNike Direct revenue fell 7% to $4.1 billionNike Digital revenue fell 12%Nike-owned stores fell 7%This split shows where Nike’s turnaround is helping and where the business remains weak.Wholesale is improving as Nike rebuilds relationships with retail partners and tries to show up better where shoppers already buy sneakers and apparel.But Nike Direct remains under pressure. Nike has spent years pushing customers toward its own stores, website, and apps. Direct sales can give Nike more control and better margins, but the channel is not driving enough momentum right now.And Nike’s earnings looked stronger because of a one-time tariff benefit.The company reported diluted earnings of 72 cents a share in the fourth quarter, but that included a 52-cent benefit tied to the expected recovery of tariffs paid under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Excluding that tariff recovery benefit, Nike said earnings were 20 cents a share.That still helped the quarter look better than feared, but it does not remove the bigger sales questions.Nike wholesale growth still has concernsBofA said wholesale sell-in looks solid, but sell-through pressure remains an important issue.Sell-in measures the product moving from Nike into retailers, and sell-through measures whether those products are actually selling to customers after they reach stores.Nike’s North America wholesale revenue rose 10%, but BofA said that growth benefited from lower returns, reserves, discounts, and cancellations, not just higher sell-in.That means if products are not selling through quickly enough, Nike may have to tighten shipments, reduce future orders, or rely more on discounts. But this can hurt the company’s effort to rebuild full-price demand.Nike management acknowledged the issue on the earnings call.CEO Elliott Hill said results are not where they need to be, especially in Nike Sportswear and Jordan Streetwear, where sell-through remains challenged, affecting both current discounting and future order books.Those two categories matter because they are a large part of Nike’s business and a major part of its consumer image.Nike’s performance business is doing better. Running, training, and global football have shown stronger momentum, helped by sport-led marketing and product launches.But Nike needs more than performance wins. It also needs lifestyle and streetwear products that can bring everyday shoppers back.China remains Nike’s biggest reset storyChina remains one of Nike’s toughest problems.BofA said China is still a reset story, with profitability expected to improve before sales recover.Nike’s Greater China revenue fell 17% on a currency-neutral basis in Q4. Nike Direct fell 14%, Nike Digital dropped 25%, and wholesale declined 19%.That was slightly better than the 20% decline BofA had modeled before earnings, but it still shows how much work remains.Nike is trying to make the China business healthier by restoring premium positioning, improving local relevance, reducing promotions, and cleaning up inventory.That strategy may help margins, but it can also pressure sales in the near term.That is especially risky because China’s sportswear market has become more competitive. Domestic brands such as Anta and Li-Ning have gained more credibility with Chinese consumers, while Adidas and other global competitors remain active.Nike has said it is taking a more local approach in China, including local product creation and a stronger focus on key doors.Management pointed to early signs of progress, including better in-season sell-through, lower average retail discounts, and improved full-price realization on digital after recent actions to reduce promotions.Still, Nike expects near-term revenue trends in Greater China to remain in line with recent performance.Nike stock debate divides Wall StreetThe post-earnings reaction shows how split analysts remain on Nike. While the stock recovered slightly and is up 8% over the past week, it still remains down more than 40% over the year.BTIG maintained a Buy rating and a $55 price target, noting that sentiment on Nike appears overly depressed following the stock’s steep year-to-date decline of 30%.The firm argued that Nike made meaningful progress across the business in fiscal 2026 and remains confident in actions to improve EBIT margins and increase cash flow.Telsey Advisory was more cautious, lowering its price target to $47 from $55 and keeping a Market Perform rating. The firm said Nike’s turnaround is progressing slowly and sales trends remain weak, with meaningful improvement unlikely until fiscal 2028.UBS analyst Jay Sole lowered his price target to $48 from $50 and kept a Neutral rating. UBS said Nike delivered a weak fourth-quarter report that was roughly in line with market expectations.Jefferies remained more positive but lowered its price target to $75 from $90, while keeping a Buy rating. The firm said the quarter came in ahead of expectations and showed “kernels of progress” in the base business, but added that Sportswear and Jordan Streetwear remain overhangs that will take time to resolve.President and CEO Elliot Hill said that the company has “elevated more than 150 stores with sport-led experiences.” Also noting that the NIKE Sportswear will “introduce more than a dozen new footwear styles, each with distinct consumer journeys.”However, these new offerings will take time to “translate into consistent results.”That is the central Nike debate.Bulls see a battered stock, improving margins, better cost control, and signs that performance categories are working.Cautious analysts see lower sales guidance, China weakness, sluggish lifestyle demand, and a recovery that may not become clear until fiscal 2028.Nike’s recovery still carries major risksBofA’s downside risks are the same problems investors are now watching closely.Those include worse-than-expected sales and margin recovery in China, innovation that is too slow or does not resonate with customers, and a continued promotional retail environment that hurts margin improvement.Those risks go directly to Nike’s biggest challenge.The company is trying to rebuild demand without relying too much on discounts. It is also trying to make its product pipeline more exciting while cleaning up weak categories and protecting margins.Nike also faces a new legal distraction. 7-Eleven has sued Nike in federal court in Dallas over a planned Air Max 95 release, alleging the sneaker copies its orange, green, and red color branding and could confuse customers because it is set to launch on July 11, or 7-Eleven Day.The case adds another complication around product execution and brand control at a time when investors are already watching whether new launches can help revive growth.However, Nike’s latest earnings report shows that the company is making progress in some areas.Gross margins are expected to improve sooner, with costs being managed more tightly. Running, football, and other performance categories are gaining traction, and the World Cup is giving Nike a major global marketing moment.But the recovery is still uneven.Nike said it does not expect the macro environment to improve meaningfully over the next six months. The company is tightening buys, reducing future sell-in, and managing inventory more carefully, which can help margins but also weigh on revenue.So, Nike may be building a more profitable business, but it is doing so while sales remain weak.Related: JPMorgan names 2 Strong Buy picks for the rest of 2026

If you have been watching the monthly jobs numbers and wondering why they keep disappointing, Goldman Sachs may have part of your answer. June payrolls came in at just 57,000, less than half of what economists expected. April and May were revised down by a combined 74,000. And a growing number of economists are pointing to AI as a factor that is quietly reshaping who gets hired, who gets replaced, and who stops looking altogether.Goldman Sachs now says AI could displace roughly 15 million American workers over the next decade, or about 9% of the U.S. workforce. That estimate comes from Joseph Briggs, who co-leads Goldman Sachs Research’s global economics team. The bank’s revised methodology tracks not just people who are already unemployed, but everyone being steadily pushed out as employers automate more tasks each quarter.Goldman Sachs economist says AI job losses already show up in monthly dataBriggs laid out his case on the bank’s Exchanges podcast. He said AI tools are already pulling between 10,000 and 15,000 jobs out of monthly payroll growth, concentrated right now in tech, management consulting, and graphic design. Most employers have barely started deploying AI at any real scale.”9% of workers being displaced by AI would correspond to 15 million workers leaving or being displaced from their positions today and having to find new jobs,” he said.More Goldman Sachs:Goldman Sachs doubles down on stock market outlook for 2026Goldman hints at Fed’s next interest-rate bet under WarshGoldman Sachs has blunt message for AI stock investorsThe workers feeling it most right now are younger. Gen Z unemployment hit 8.3% as of June 2026, double the 4.2% national rate, according to workforce data. The New York Fed put the jobless rate for college graduates aged 22 to 27 at 5.6%. It is not that employers are running layoffs. They simply stopped backfilling. A June 2026 GMAC survey found that one in three employers has replaced entry-level roles with AI rather than hiring, Fortune reported.”I’m sure that we all know people who have had trouble finding jobs or a harder time than they would have normally following recent graduations,” Briggs said.The unemployment rate dipped to 4.2% in June, but that was mostly because 507,000 people stopped looking for work entirely, CNBC noted. This mechanically pulls the rate down without anyone actually finding a job.Goldman Sachs AI displacement forecast explained: how the bank got to 15 millionBriggs built his estimate on a historical pattern: Every 1% technology-driven productivity gain has tended to raise job destruction rates by about half a percentage point over the following two years. Goldman is forecasting that AI will deliver a 15% productivity boost at full adoption. That is where the 15 million figure comes from.Briggs is not saying this happens overnight. Spread over 10 years, he expects the unemployment rate rise to stay under one percentage point in any given year. But he has been warning since March that front-loaded job losses change that math fast. “The big story in 2026 in labor will be AI,” Briggs said at the time. “If we see some job losses pulled forward, that sets the stage for potential underperformance relative to our forecast, and that may lead the Federal Reserve to cut rates.” June’s 57,000-job reading fits that scenario.There is also a counterargument Briggs himself makes. A 5% pickup in the pace of U.S. job creation would be enough to reabsorb all AI-displaced workers. The economy already generates about 30 million jobs a year while destroying 29 million. The buffer exists; it just has to hold.

Goldman Sachs now says AI could displace roughly 15 million American workers over the next decade.Nagle/Getty Images

Which American workers face the biggest AI job displacement risk right nowCustomer service, back-office administration, and jobs built around doing the same cognitive task on repeat are where Goldman sees the most immediate exposure. A lot of workers in those roles assumed a desk job meant they were safe. That assumption is being tested.Briggs also made a point about who takes the hit. Lower-wage workers in predictable roles have nowhere easy to land when a job disappears. Higher earners usually have more options. He said income inequality is likely to widen through the transition, even if the overall jobs picture eventually stabilizes.Two MIT economists on the same podcast pushed back, though in different directions. Neil Thompson thinks real-world AI deployment will be slower than the models suggest. In regulated industries especially, companies still need data access and government clearances they do not have. His expectation is that most jobs get partially automated, not eliminated.Daron Acemoglu was less optimistic. He sees genuine net job losses in routine roles over the next five years, with more potential damage beyond that if AI investment continues to encourage replacing workers rather than making them more productive.What Goldman’s AI warning means for investors and S&P 500 companiesCorporate spending on AI has climbed through 2026. The efficiency case is real, and companies know it. But Goldman’s own data show that companies using AI to make workers more productive tend to outperform those using it purely to cut headcount.For stock market investors, the AI story has a side that rarely gets priced in. If enough workers lose jobs or see wages stagnate, consumer spending eventually slows. Companies that are too slow on AI adoption face competitors with lower costs. And if job losses accelerate faster than Goldman’s base case, the Federal Reserve could move on rates at a moment when inflation is already elevated.As the June jobs report made plain, the labor market is already under pressure, NPR noted. Whether AI is the main driver or one factor among several, 15 million workers finding themselves in different jobs over the next decade is a number worth taking seriously.Related: Nvidia CEO sends serious wake up call to all Americans

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 dealThere’s no excuse these days for poor audio equipment. High-quality headphones have become less costly and more available than ever before, and we have the perfect example of this trend. Walmart is selling a pair of noise-canceling over-ear headphones at a discount so impressive that we don’t know when we might see another one this good. That’s why it’s best you take advantage of this deal while you still can.The Veatool Bass Boost Noise-Canceling Headphones are on sale for just $21 at the moment, which is a discount of 88% off the original price of $168. It’s no wonder more than 100 have sold in the past 24 hours, especially since they closely resemble a high-end brand that costs over $500.Veatool Bass Boost Noise-Canceling Headphones, $21 (was $168) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?All headphones are not the same, and that’s a great thing for those who have discerning audio tastes. This specific set of headphones has everything you could ever want in a set of daily-wear over-ear headphones. The Bluetooth 5.4 connection allows for quicker setup and has reduced latency. That means there’s little to no lag between what you’ll see on the screen when watching a video and the sound coming through the headphones. Additionally, the internal speakers on each side feature 40 millimeter drivers with titanium-plated diaphragms that produce impressive bass that you only get with the highest quality audio gear. The ultra-soft memory foam ear cushions do an amazing job of keeping sound in while still remaining comfortable for the wearer. The individual headphones also feature 90-degree swivel joints as well as a fully adjustable headband to ensure you have the proper fit at all times. Perhaps the most exciting feature of all with these headphones has to do with the phone call function. They include four built-in noise-canceling microphones that weed out ambient sounds, so that whoever is on the other end of the call can hear your voice in crystal clear perfection. This noise cancellation technology makes every call sound almost like you’re right there with the person. The headphones are available in five colorways. That tends to happen with deals that have such a deep discount.Related: Amazon is selling wireless Bluetooth earbuds with 30,400+ 5-star ratings for just $10Details to knowDrivers: Dual 40 millimeter drivers.Microphone: Four built-in noise-canceling mics.Battery life: Up to 65 hours of rest time.Colorways: Five variants.Walmart shoppers were very happy with the headphones. One said, “Great sound and stylish,” before adding, “These compare to other expensive brands, and work just as well. They stay in place and are comfortable to wear…The charge lasts for hours.”Shop more deals Cowin Noise-Canceling Headphones, $25 (was $40) at WalmartSupbs Noise-Canceling Earbuds, $23 (was $160) at WalmartJLab Go Air Pop Bluetooth Earbuds, $20 (was $29) at WalmartThe Veatool Bass Boost Noise-Canceling Headphones are a great buy at just $21. Considering that this deal features such a steep discount, it won’t last forever. We recommend taking advantage of this deal sooner rather than later.