Disney+ gets out in front of Netflix: When it comes to launching and announcing pricing for its ad-supported tier, that is.

On today's episode, we discuss what happens next now that the newsletter boom has faded, Uber getting serious about grocery, how Starbucks is defying inflation, whether Spotify can revolutionize podcast ads, robots doing all of our housework, an unpopular opinion about TikTok's hype, why so many baseballs are used during a game, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha and analysts Suzy Davidkhanian and Blake Droesch.

The number of financial services deals declined 31% compared to Q1.

Inflation eased slightly in July, but consumers still feel the pinch: Gas prices are falling, but steadily rising food prices are eroding shoppers’ buying power.

Discount stores ranked among the fastest-growing retailers in the US last year: But low prices, not customer loyalty, is driving that growth.

Retailers in Latin America will face a slew of macroeconomic challenges this year as rapidly changing market conditions weigh heavily on consumers’ minds—and wallets.

Ditching Netflix to pay for groceries: Consumers in the US and UK show a willingness to cut back on media and retail subscriptions as the cost of living skyrockets.

We talked with our Reimagining Retail team to see if they could provide a little insight.

Big Tech’s existential crisis: Following a decade-long heyday, announcements from tech leaders, layoffs, and hiring freezes indicate an abrupt cultural shift. A crisis looms as economics distracts from innovation.

Big Tech earnings reveal economic uncertainty: Consumer spending is down while costs are up and supply chain woes continue to drag down profits. Big Tech is bracing for tough times.

This year, Latin America will be the world’s second-fastest-growing region in retail ecommerce sales, after Southeast Asia. Sales will rise by 18.8% to $167.01 billion as mobile propels the region’s ecommerce market to new heights over the course of our forecast period.

The economy looks very different to high-income consumers: Luxury sales continue to soar, while lower-income shoppers rethink their priorities.

While Nordstrom hasn’t seen its customers cutting back, it could be only a matter of time before the recession comes for the department store.

There are fewer retail vacancies than any time in 10 years: Retailers are testing new formats and expanding their physical presences to be closer to where consumers live and shop.

Walmart’s profit warning signals tough times ahead for retailers: But Unilever and The Coca-Cola Co. reported strong earnings due to higher prices as CPGs continue to thrive.

Hasbro and Mattel are optimistic about the future: The resiliency of the toy category coupled with strong IP properties should keep both companies in the green, even in the event of a recession.

On today's episode, we discuss Netflix choosing Microsoft to help with the streaming service's upcoming ad-supported tier, the need for a chief media officer, what to make of inflation still not slowing down, whether YouTube is the future of cable, whether customers will buy into in-car subscription services, an unpopular opinion about the term "influencer," what exactly a "black box" really is, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Dave Frankland, Evelyn Mitchell, and Max Willens.

Paving the path to the metaverse: Unprecedented interest in the emerging metaverse might cool if the tech industry can’t sustain momentum on innovation and public enthusiasm during the downturn.