Titled "Winter's Fury: Disruptions Across U.S. Air Travel," here's the rewritten piece:
Good day,
Tesla isn't the sole EV maker enjoying a post-election surge. California-based Rivian experienced one of its best days ever on Friday, with shares soaring 24%. This defied initial Wall Street concerns about President-elect Donald Trump's reported plans to cut a federal subsidy for electric vehicles. However, Rivian revealed slightly better fourth-quarter car deliveries than anticipated, which helped boost its stock.
Since election day, Rivian's stock has surged 54%, outperforming every other stock except Tesla and Palantir. The catch? Purchasing most Rivian vehicles qualifies for a $3,750 federal tax credit. If Trump repeals such a subsidy, it could negatively impact EV demand, effectively increasing the sticker price for consumers.
WINTER WOE
Winter Storm Blair swept across the U.S., causing over 10,000 flight disruptions. The heavy snow, ice, and wind made for hazardous travel conditions, prompting winter weather warnings across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic through Tuesday morning.
Inauguration merchandise could potentially cover President Trump's personal expenses, including legal fees. The fine print on checkout pages for such merchandise suggests a possible diversion of funds.
BUSINESS BASICS
Bitcoin reached an all-time high in 2024, stirring interest from value investors. One of them, longtime Our Website editor Taesik Yoon, believes in the cryptocurrency's potential and the importance of continued adoption.
Dick's Sporting Goods owner Ed Stack turned his father's small business into a $18+ billion empire. He credits his business success to lessons such as keeping score, studying great leaders, pursuing a passion, and sticking to principles.
Billionaire Fernando De Leon's Leon Capital Group is worth nearly $3 billion. De Leon, who grew up poor in Mexico and crossed the U.S. border daily for school, now has a quarter of his fortune invested in real estate, mostly in growing Sun Belt cities.
TECH INNOVATION
London-based payments unicorn Checkout faced setbacks after cutting its contract with Binance over money laundering concerns. Revenues dropped 16% to $212 million following the crypto exchange's departure.
MONEY & POLITICS
The House reelected Rep. Mike Johnson as their Speaker following a tight contest, with President-elect Donald Trump's endorsement playing a significant role.
Trump's guilty verdict on 34 felony counts in New York was upheld, keeping one of his only remaining criminal cases alive. The judge set a sentencing date, but no prison time was expected. Trump criticized the decision on social media, calling it "evil" and "illegal."
EXPLAINERS & TRENDS
Trump's continued support for TikTok was met with limited action from his incoming administration. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments about the federal ban on Friday, but its implementation may be delayed.
The Corporate Transparency Act could head to the Supreme Court following the Department of Justice's application to overturn a preliminary injunction.
DAILY COVER STORY
Led by Jay Graber, Bluesky has experienced a surge in popularity since Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter. The decentralized social media platform attributes its success to focusing on users, avoiding the usual tactics of collecting user data and targeting advertising.
Alcohol makers and distributors suffered losses following Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's call to update warning labels, citing cancer risks associated with alcohol. Less than 50% of American adults are aware of these risks.
In a resilient job market, key trends include the rise of artificial intelligence, a return to the office, and skills-based hiring. Skilled trades are also gaining popularity, offering new opportunities and challenging long-held assumptions about career success.
- Despite initial concerns about President-elect Donald Trump's plans to cut electric vehicle subsidies, the Leon Capital Group, led by billionaire Fernando De Leon, may still find investment opportunities in Rivian, as its stocks have surged post-election.
- During winter weather warnings across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic, Juan Merchan, a Rivian investor, might have encountered difficulties reaching Dick's Sporting Goods stores for a checkout due to Winter Storm Blair causing over 10,000 flight disruptions.
- Ed Stack, the Dick's Sporting Goods owner, might have received positive news regarding Rivian's fourth-quarter car deliveries and stock surge, contributing to the company's outstanding $18+ billion market value.
- Mike Johnson, the reelected Speaker of the House, could consider using Rivian vehicles, as purchasing one qualifies for a $3,750 federal tax credit, a subsidy proposed by former President Donald Trump.
- Donald Trump's legal fees for potential post-presidency cases may not be fully covered by inauguration merchandise sales, but Ed Stack, along with other value investors like Taesik Yoon, may see investment opportunities in viable electric vehicle companies like Rivian, even in the event of a federal subsidy repeal.
