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=E2=80=A6and Apple=E2=80=99s Vision= Pro has its first week on shelves
=
 

A McDonald=E2=80=99s location in Riyadh, Saudi Arab= ia (Lynsey Addario/Getty Images)

 
<= td style=3D"vertical-align:top;padding:0;">
Last Week=E2=80=99s Marke= t Moves
=
 
Dow Jo= nes
38,672 (+0.04%)		S&P 5005,027 (+1.37%)<= /span>Nasdaq
= 15,991 (+2.31%)= 		Bitcoin
$47,2= 69 (+9.47%)
Dow Jones
38,672 (+0.04%)		S&P 500
5,027 (+1.37%)
Nasdaq
15,991 (+2.31%)		Bitcoin
$47,269 (+9.47%)
=
<= /table>

Hey Snackers,

Breaking up via text is cold. This Valen= tine=E2=80=99s Day, Pizza Hut has a warmer option: break up via pizz= a. =E2=80=9CGoodbye Pies= =E2=80=9D let customers personalize =E2=80=99za boxes with a cheesy= breakup note. Add sardines and pineapple to really drive the message home.=

The S&P 500 set a record on Friday, closing above 5K for the fir= st time, after revisions to December=E2=80=99s consumer price index confirm= ed that inflation=E2=80=99s on the downswing. Stocks gained for the week af= ter some strong earnings, though Fed officials suggested that the US centra= l bank is in no hurry to lower rates.

Btw... Do you= want to start getting Snacks daily? Or prefer to unsubscribe? Manage your = subscription preferences here.

Stale
<= /div>
=
<= /table>

Fast-food earnings grow stale = as Middle East turmoil curbs appetite for Western brands

Drive= -thru doldrums=E2=80=A6 McDonald=E2=80=99s stock had its worst one-day drop in ov= er a year last week after conflict in the Middle East took a toll on sales = abroad, contributing to the chain=E2=80=99s first quarterly sales miss in n= early four years. US traffic also slipped as consumers with lower incomes c= ut back after price hikes (see: $3 hash browns). A common factor cited by f= ast foodies for weaker sales was division stoked by the Israel-Hamas war. A= merican brands like McD=E2=80=99s are associated with the US.

  • Crunch: <= a href=3D"https://sg.robinhood.com/ls/click?upn=3D6fntGirSE5selsQKrSSUHjMA5= 9bDfCWW6qZNCvrM0fKMBnnc6fFOBLRHjJ-2B0M0-2Fc-2FudZ7-2Bn9MusdOVUc75Wqxw-3D-3D= TY_X_y6r4Y-2Fjyz39fUgiIVZvxszI1-2BOksX762wK6L32M97xgJ-2FnBU-2Fpq1oGUBER66UL= tnMh27F1uuZnEbiNnlkyDCo0DIjye03IHaoBmVnQPJqUZVC7dBbMALe7PT5tQC4KPnIpdgiFG7o= iipiurIArMCAW-2FxDLbw6JJuQO8S00l9Xdafjl7fSm3FcnNUV8dcT0w4HPStVIRfY5u4q6NAb2= IJZX7C3Oamh-2BPcQJiLX3HPbSklLY5rgXoI-2F-2FtGdu2pWVidzn-2BkZZH4lswRW4tj4tGHl= h14Gf4x9brbIJfuugr4zQMIxvjOwH3V9vx-2BaPTt12KQz6OlVByRYuALu2vn-2FBf6NqwcZItq= p0Qwhmupls42nZ3Vafhm7-2Blg7SOcTdkbaPYuamC313bWx0Io80E8DKvnLTwRpkDLZnOp1lU3O= coY9pWhDcgN4PkXclDwj83pgFb0QtkPwAdg-2FdfggY1vjBWfRDo1SHmkaeFRmb9AfbvN3DLRU1= D7z83D3zfnDra2XeB-2BmV7RhRhzqXUCszRQyUpIwyRY2tLVVnQP0Xfi5VEnSOXXhHR1EgZk7Om= Br1DwKrv1bOFEk8w5OD83Ug7L8jpbAXgunF0ELW-2BpAYpxsuUWGSgxksqts8Ykse0-2BYrdjMQ= B09Km3Rj4oAvNPJPUzaY93HXXhq9ogLKuCoS26XBKTG2dkGY6XrLjNRaYLHCrmGJ2XzwrcQr1fQ= DLXfLI2HWNRGnOdXxR97LKKz-2FnaRsjkct8-3D rel=3D"noopener" style=3D"color:#26= A19B;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:2= px;text-underline-offset:1px" target=3D"_blank" class=3D"css-0">Yum Bran= ds (parent of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut) also mis= sed estimates as the war hurt sales in countries like Malaysia and Indonesi= a, which don=E2=80=99t recognize Israel. Starbucks also disappointed and c= ut its annual sales forecast, citing the conflict.

  • Bowlin=E2=80=99: Rival Chipotle crushed estimates a= fter foot traffic grew 7%.=C2=A0 So far, the US-centric burrito icon= hasn't been impacted by the global turmoil.

Tough = order=E2=80=A6 Western fast-food giants have unintentionally become emb= roiled in tensions overseas. Last month, McDonald=E2=80=99s said the Israel= -Hamas war caused a =E2=80=9Cmeaningful business impact=E2=80=9D as franchi= sees in the Middle East weighed in on opposing sides. FYI: 90% of McD=E2=80= =99s restaurants are owned by franchisees. In October, McDonald=E2=80=99s I= srael donated thousands of meals to the Israeli army, resulting in backlash= from franchisees in countries including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait= , and Pakistan. Starbucks stores were boycotted and vandalized after misinf= o suggested the chain was taking sides. Starbucks sued the union organizing= its workers after the group used the company=E2=80=99s logo to express sol= idarity with Palestine.

THE TAKEAWAY

The =E2=80=9CGolden Arches Theory=E2=80=9D isn= =E2=80=99t so golden anymore=E2=80=A6 Since the =E2=80=9990s, some econ= omists have backed a globalization theory that states that countries that h= ave McDonald=E2=80=99s don=E2=80=99t go to war against each other. But the = theory showed cracks when Russia invaded Ukraine (resulting in McD=E2=80=99= s leaving Russia). While fast-food chains want to be seen as neutral partie= s, reliance on local owners to run franchises abroad can complicate percept= ions and hurt sales.

<= div style=3D"font-family: 'General Grotesque Bold', Arial; font-weight: 700= ; letter-spacing: 0.03em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #1C1C1C; paddin= g: 6px 19px; border-radius: 30px; border: 0; background-color:#62E5DA; disp= lay: inline-block;">Zoom out
<= /table>

Stories we= =E2=80=99re watching

20/24 vision=E2=80=A6 Apple=E2= =80=99s Vision Pro headset had its first week on shelves. People lin= ed up at US Apple stores to try out the $3.5K =E2=80=9Cspatial computing=E2= =80=9D gadget, which overlays digital content on your physical space (or go= es full VR). Still, curiosity =E2=89=A0 mainstream sales, and the mixed-rea= lity headset costs 7X more than Meta=E2=80=99s Quest 3. People have been applaud= ing the tech but complaining about the device=E2=80=99s weight (1.4 lbs) an= d two-hour-ish battery life. Also: if you forget your password, you may hav= e to head to the Genius Bar. Meanwhile, the US Transportation Secretary wan= ts people to stop driving while wearing the headset (see: viral Cybertruck videos= ).

Huddling together for sports=E2=80=A6 Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery are creating a streaming su= per team, bundling 14 sports channels into a new service. The collab will c= over ~55% of US sports broadcasting rights. Pricing hasn=E2=80=99t been ann= ounced, but leagues=E2=80=99 ballooning TV deals could play a role: rights = for the five major US sports leagues cost $15.4B last year =E2=80=94 twice = as much as a decade ago. As streamers including Apple and Netflix sc= ore more sports content, cable could get KO=E2=80=99d. Live sports is what= =E2=80=99s kept many folks from cutting the cord.

<= /tr>
<= /tbody>
<= div style=3D"font-family: 'General Grotesque Bold', Arial; font-weight: 700= ; letter-spacing: 0.03em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #1C1C1C; paddin= g: 6px 19px; border-radius: 30px; border: 0; background-color:#62E5DA; disp= lay: inline-block;">Events
<= /table>

Coming up th= is week

Two dozen roses=E2=80=A6 and a bottle of Veuve. Th= e romance industry is gearing up for Valentine=E2=80=99s Day on Wednesday. = More than half of consumers plan to celebrate the love-themed holiday, and = the National Retail Federation expects nearly $26B in spending on everythin= g from prix-fixe dinners to Hallmark cards. Splurges on jewelry and = flowers are expected to hit records. Love-aligned corporations including 1= -800-Flowers and Hershey, which both recently reported, could se= e a passion-powered pop. Meanwhile, dating app giants like Match and Bumble could enjoy a swipey boost while love is in the air.=

Red envelopes and moon cakes=E2=80=A6 Dragon signs, rise up:= it=E2=80=99s the Lunar New Year. Most Chinese consumers expect to spend $3= 50+ each shopping for themselves and loved ones, and analysts estimate tota= l spend could tally up to $1.1B. Luxury brands are firing up special produc= ts for the occasion (picture: Fendi bags ft. Dragonite). The holiday= =E2=80=99s also huge for OOO messages, with 9B (yes, billion) domestic trip= s expected across 40 days =E2=80=94 nearly 2X last year=E2=80=99s travel sz= n. Lunar spending could help China=E2=80=99s struggling economy. But as ave= rage salaries drop in major cities, folks may choose to put their dragon-th= emed splurges on ice.

What else we're Snackin'

<= /p>

Wan= t your Snacks daily?
=
The Daily Newsle= tter
Get fresh takes on fi= nancial news every week day. Try a sample:

=F0=9F=8F=88 The sports edition= =E2=80=A2 Feb 9, 2024
=F0=9F=92=B8 Uber=E2=80=99s profi= t delivery =E2=80=A2 Feb 8, 2024
=F0=9F=8F=A6 Chase br= anches out =E2=80=A2 Feb 7, 2024

Subscribe to the Daily
<= /table>
Snack Fact Of the Day
<= p>For the first time in two decades, the US imported more goods from Mexico= than China last year

<= /table>
<= /tr>
This Week

  • Monday: Earnings expec= ted from Avis Budget Group, Goodyear, and Mo= nday.com

  • Tuesday: Ea= rnings expected from Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Denny=E2=80=99s, Hasbro, Instacart, Krispy Kreme, Lyft, Ma= rriott International, MGM Resorts, Molson Coors Bevera= ge, Robinhood, Shopify, and WK Kellogg

    • Wednesday: Valentine=E2=80=99s Day.= Earnings expected from Kraft Heinz, Sony, Sunoco, = TripAdvisor, Udemy, and Wyndham

  • Thursday: Singles Awareness Day. Earnings expecte= d from Airbus, Coinbase, Crocs, Deere, DoorD= ash, DraftKings, Hyatt, Oatly Group, Roku, = Shake Shack, Toast, Wendy=E2=80=99s, and Yelp

  • Friday: Earnings expected= from Bridgestone, Cinemark, and PPL

A= uthors of this Snacks own shares of: Alphabet, Apple, Disney, Kraft, Match,= Robinhood, Roku, Shopify, Starbucks, and Yum Brands

=
<= /td>
<= table border=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" role=3D"presentation= " width=3D"100%">
Sherwood Media, LLC produces fresh and unique perspec= tives on topical financial news and is a fully owned subsidiary of Robinhoo= d Markets, Inc., and any views expressed here do not necessarily reflect th= e views of any other Robinhood affiliate... See more
--44cd54332f13e54224017c1c337ecb0447c20bbc5d4304bed2e0a5eb8d9b Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Mime-Version: 1.0 @media only screen and (min-width:480px) { .mj-column-per-100 { width: 100% !important; max-width: 100%; } .mj-column-per-50 { width: 50% !important; max-width: 50%; } }
=E2=80=A6and Apple=E2=80=99s Vision= Pro has its first week on shelves
<= /table>
<= div class=3D"mj-column-per-100 mj-outlook-group-fix" style=3D"font-size:0px= ;text-align:left;direction:ltr;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;widt= h:100%;">=
 
=
=

A= McDonald=E2=80=99s location in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Lynsey Addario/Getty = Images)

 
<= tr><= /tr>
Last Week=E2=80=99s Market Moves
 
Dow Jones
38,672 (+0.04%)
<= span class=3D"text" style=3D"font-family: 'General Grotesque', Arial; font-= size: 13px; line-height: 22px; padding: 0;">S&P 500
5,027 (+1.37%)		Nasdaq
15,991 (+2.31%)		Bitcoin
$47,269 (+9.47%)
Dow Jones
38,672 (+0.04%)		S&P 500
5,027 (+1.37%)
Nasdaq
15,991 (+2.31%)		Bitcoin
$47,269 (+9.47%)
= <= /table>
<= div style=3D"font-family:'General Grotesque', Arial;font-size:16px;font-wei= ght:400;line-height:24px;text-align:left;color:#000000;">

Hey Snackers= ,

Breaking up via text is cold. This Valentine=E2=80=99s Day, = Pizza Hut has a warmer option: break up via pizza. =E2=80=9CGoodbye Pies= =E2=80=9D let customers personalize =E2=80=99za boxes with a cheesy breakup= note. Add sardines and pineapple to really drive the message home.

T= he S&P 500 set a record on Friday, closing above 5K for the first time,= after revisions to December=E2=80=99s consumer price index confirmed that = inflation=E2=80=99s on the downswing. Stocks gained for the week after some= strong earnings, though Fed officials suggested that the US central bank i= s in no hurry to lower rates.

Btw... Do you want to= start getting Snacks daily? Or prefer to unsubscribe? Manage your subscrip= tion preferences here.

3D""
Stale
<= /table>

Fast-food earnings grow stale as Middle East turmoil curbs appetite f= or Western brands

Drive-thru doldrums=E2=80=A6 McDonald=E2=80=99s stock h= ad its worst one-day drop in over a year last week after conflict in the Mi= ddle East took a toll on sales abroad, contributing to the chain=E2=80=99s = first quarterly sales miss in nearly four years. US traffic also slipped as= consumers with lower incomes cut back after price hikes (see: $3 hash brow= ns). A common factor cited by fast foodies for weaker sales was division st= oked by the Israel-Hamas war. American brands like McD=E2=80=99s are associ= ated with the US.

  • Crunch: Yum Bra= nds (parent of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut) also mi= ssed estimates as the war hurt sales in countries like Malaysia and Indones= ia, which don=E2=80=99t recognize Israel. Starbucks also disappointed and c= ut its annual sales forecast, citing the conflict.

  • Bowlin=E2=80=99: Rival Chipotle crushed estimates after foot traffi= c grew 7%.=C2=A0 So far, the US-centric burrito icon hasn't been impac= ted by the global turmoil.

Tough order=E2=80=A6 West= ern fast-food giants have unintentionally become embroiled in tensions over= seas. Last month, McDonald=E2=80=99s said the Israel-Hamas war caused a =E2= =80=9Cmeaningful business impact=E2=80=9D as franchisees in the Middle East= weighed in on opposing sides. FYI: 90% of McD=E2=80=99s restaurants are ow= ned by franchisees. In October, McDonald=E2=80=99s Israel donated thousands= of meals to the Israeli army, resulting in backlash from franchisees in co= untries including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, and Pakistan. Starbuc= ks stores were boycotted and vandalized after misinfo suggested the chain w= as taking sides. Starbucks sued the union organizing its workers after the = group used the company=E2=80=99s logo to express solidarity with Palestine.=

THE TAKEAWAY

The =E2=80=9CGolden Arches Theory=E2=80=9D isn=E2=80=99t so gold= en anymore=E2=80=A6 Since the =E2=80=9990s, some economists have backed= a globalization theory that states that countries that have McDonald=E2=80= =99s don=E2=80=99t go to war against each other. But the theory showed crac= ks when Russia invaded Ukraine (resulting in McD=E2=80=99s leaving Russia).= While fast-food chains want to be seen as neutral parties, reliance on loc= al owners to run franchises abroad can complicate perceptions and hurt sale= s.

<= div style=3D"font-family: 'General Grotesque Bold', Arial; font-weight: 700= ; letter-spacing: 0.03em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #1C1C1C; paddin= g: 6px 19px; border-radius: 30px; border: 0; background-color:#62E5DA; disp= lay: inline-block;">Zoom out
<= /table>

Stories we= =E2=80=99re watching

20/24 vision=E2=80=A6 Apple=E2=80=99s = Vision Pro headset had its first week on shelves. People lined up at US= Apple stores to try out the $3.5K =E2=80=9Cspatial computing=E2=80=9D gadg= et, which overlays digital content on your physical space (or goes full VR)= . Still, curiosity =E2=89=A0 mainstream sales, and the mixed-reality headse= t costs 7X more than Meta=E2=80=99s Quest 3. People h= ave been applauding the tech but complaining about the device=E2=80=99s wei= ght (1.4 lbs) and two-hour-ish battery life. Also: if you forget your passw= ord, you may have to head to the Genius Bar. Meanwhile, the US Transportati= on Secretary wants people to stop driving while wearing the headset (see: v= iral <= u>Cybertruck videos).

Huddling together for sports=E2=80= =A6 Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery are creating a streaming sup= er team, bundling 14 sports channels into a new service. The collab will co= ver ~55% of US sports broadcasting rights. Pricing hasn=E2=80=99t been anno= unced, but leagues=E2=80=99 ballooning TV deals could play a role: rights f= or the five major US sports leagues cost $15.4B last year =E2=80=94 twice a= s much as a decade ago. As streamers including Apple and Netflix score more sports content, cable could get KO=E2=80=99d. Live sports = is what=E2=80=99s kept many folks from cutting the cord.

<= /tr>
<= /tbody>
<= div style=3D"font-family: 'General Grotesque Bold', Arial; font-weight: 700= ; letter-spacing: 0.03em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #1C1C1C; paddin= g: 6px 19px; border-radius: 30px; border: 0; background-color:#62E5DA; disp= lay: inline-block;">Events
<= /table>

Coming up th= is week

Two dozen roses=E2=80=A6 and a bottle of Veuve. Th= e romance industry is gearing up for Valentine=E2=80=99s Day on Wednesday. = More than half of consumers plan to celebrate the love-themed holiday, and = the National Retail Federation expects nearly $26B in spending on everythin= g from prix-fixe dinners to Hallmark cards. Splurges on jewelry and = flowers are expected to hit records. Love-aligned corporations including 1-800-Flowers and <= b>Hershey, which both recently reported, could see a passion-powere= d pop. Meanwhile, dating app giants like Match and Bumble= could enjoy a swipey boost while love is in the air.

Red env= elopes and moon cakes=E2=80=A6 Dragon signs, rise up: it=E2=80=99s the = Lunar New Year. Most Chinese consumers expect to spend $350+ each shopping = for themselves and loved ones, and analysts estimate total spend could tall= y up to $1.1B. Luxury brands are firing up special products for the occasio= n (picture: Fendi bags ft. Dragonite). The holiday=E2=80=99s also hu= ge for OOO messages, with 9B (yes, billion) domestic trips expected across = 40 days =E2=80=94 nearly 2X last year=E2=80=99s travel szn. Lunar spending = could help China=E2=80=99s struggling economy. But as average salaries drop= in major cities, folks may choose to put their dragon-themed splurges on i= ce.

What else we're Snackin'

  • BattleBots: Google renamed its Bard cha= tbot =E2=80=9CGemini=E2=80=9D and rolled out a more powerful, $20/month ver= sion to compete with ChatGPT. With the massive costs of running AI, Open= AI and its rivals are monetizing their bots.

  • CoOp: Disney=E2=80=99s pouring $1.5B into =E2=80=9CFort= nite=E2=80=9D-maker Epic Games (that=E2=80=99s dollars, not V-bucks)= . Adding Disney IP like Star Wars and Marvel to =E2=80=9CFortnite=E2=80=9D = could help the media giant stay relevant with younger gens.

  • Busy:<= /b> The FCC banned genAI robocalls after ~25K New Hampshire voters received= rings from an AI President Biden urging them not to vote. Also: over a doz= en states have passed laws curbing AI in political ads.

=
Want yo= ur Snacks daily?
The Daily Newsletter
Get fresh takes on financia= l news every week day. Try a sample:

=F0=9F=8F=88 The sports edition =E2=80= =A2 Feb 9, 2024
=F0=9F=92=B8 Uber=E2=80=99s profit delivery= =E2=80=A2 Feb 8, 2024
=F0=9F=8F=A6 Chase branches out =E2= =80=A2 Feb 7, 2024

S= ubscribe to the Daily
<= /table>
Snack Fact Of the Day
<= p>For the first time in two decades, the US imported more goods from Mexico= than China last year

<= /table>
<= /tr>
This Week

  • Monday: Earnings expec= ted from Avis Budget Group, Goodyear, and Mo= nday.com

  • Tuesday: Ea= rnings expected from Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Denny=E2=80=99s, Hasbro, Instacart, Krispy Kreme, Lyft, Ma= rriott International, MGM Resorts, Molson Coors Bevera= ge, Robinhood, Shopify, and WK Kellogg

    • Wednesday: Valentine=E2=80=99s Day.= Earnings expected from Kraft Heinz, Sony, Sunoco, = TripAdvisor, Udemy, and Wyndham

  • Thursday: Singles Awareness Day. Earnings expecte= d from Airbus, Coinbase, Crocs, Deere, DoorD= ash, DraftKings, Hyatt, Oatly Group, Roku, = Shake Shack, Toast, Wendy=E2=80=99s, and Yelp

  • Friday: Earnings expected= from Bridgestone, Cinemark, and PPL

A= uthors of this Snacks own shares of: Alphabet, Apple, Disney, Kraft, Match,= Robinhood, Roku, Shopify, Starbucks, and Yum Brands

<= /td>
=
<= tr>
<= /table>
=
Sherwood Media,= LLC produces fresh and unique perspectives on topical financial news and i= s a fully owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc., and any views expres= sed here do not necessarily reflect the views of any other Robinhood affili= ate... Se= e more
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--44cd54332f13e54224017c1c337ecb0447c20bbc5d4304bed2e0a5eb8d9b--