Author: Editor

For years, new video games looked like one of the best deals in entertainment: buy a console, buy a game, plug them into your home television, and play for hours.That bargain feels a lot less simple today. Price increases are hitting almost every layer of the hobby, pushing it increasingly toward luxury territory.Hardware prices have increased in the past year: Microsoft’s Xbox Series S jumped from $379.99 to $399.99 in October, and the Playstation 5 Disc Edition’s price rose from $549.99 to $649.99 in April. On Wednesday, Valve increased the prices of its popular Steam Deck systems to “reflect the…

Zohran Mamdani is taking a page from the DOGE playbook.The New York City mayor announced a new Commission on Government Efficiency, or COGE, on Thursday. City Hall said the agency will ensure “the government keeps pace with New Yorkers’ needs,” by cutting bureaucratic red tape, reforming civic procedures, and making it easier for residents to access affordable city services.The mayor’s efficiency push comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s DOGE effort, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, that led to widespread firings of federal workers and cancellation of government contracts. The White House is winding down the office.Mamdani sees…

Leaving my job to start my own business really came down to family changes. I had a decent salary, benefits, and job flexibility in a role serving children and families, but I could no longer work a traditional job due to the demands.I had a kid, and then I had another kid, and my husband was gone a lot. He’s an airline pilot. If I wanted to stay in the workforce, entrepreneurship felt like the only option.My sorority sister, Alexandra Tyson — we both pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated at the University of Maryland, College Park — came over…

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sara Perelli-Minetti, a former HR leader who now runs Hellos & Goodbyes, an executive compensation coaching company. Her previous employment and identity have been confirmed by Business Insider. This story has been edited for length and clarity.I was laid off from my first job out of college, and I negotiated severance before any of my friends actually knew what it was.I’ve worked across multiple HR disciplines since then, and I’ve overseen layoffs. I worked in people analytics at Capital One, where I focused on talent management systems, which included analyzing a…

The 220 Central Park South building, center, stands in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. Just days after buying one of the most expensive residential properties in London, Citadel founder Ken Griffin set a U.S. record with the $238 million penthouse at 220 Central Park South.Jeenah Moon | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesNew York City’s new tax on second homes will more than double property taxes owed by many wealthy luxury apartment owners, according to tax experts.State lawmakers on Wednesday passed the tax on nonprimary residences in order to help close the city’s budget gap. The so-called pied-a-terre tax…

In a country where big trucks are a big deal, those pickups and SUVs represent a big percentage of auto loans that come with a sizable monthly payment, more than $1,000 a month, according to new data.Experian Automotive’s analysis of more than 5 million open auto loans and leases in the first quarter shows nearly 19% of new vehicle loans include a monthly payment of at least $1,000. That’s up from roughly 17.4% year over year. “The assumption is that it’s all luxury, it’s high-line, and that is not the case,” said Melinda Zabritski, head of automotive financial insights for…

Shoppers walk in front of a Kohl’s store in Mount Kisco, New York.Scott Mlyn | CNBCKohl’s stock jumped 20% in morning trading Thursday after the retailer reported its best comparable sales performance in four years. CEO Michael Bender told CNBC the quarter marked the company “knocking on the door of growth.””We showed that we are managing the business with great discipline, strong expense management, our inventory is much cleaner than it’s ever been and the balance sheet continues to show strength,” Bender said.The retailer said its net sales decreased 1.7% and its comparable sales slid 1.1% in its fiscal first…

President Trump holds his signed executive order that calls for restricting voting by mail in the White House’s Oval Office in March. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP A federal judge has declined to temporarily block President Trump’s executive order that calls for restricting voting by mail. The ruling released Thursday by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump nominee based in Washington, D.C., leaves in place — at least for now — an executive order on voting that tests the limits of the president’s power under the Constitution. A separate, 2025 executive order on voting was halted…

A person walks outside a Best Buy store on May 29, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson | Getty ImagesBest Buy on Thursday reported fiscal first-quarter results that beat expectations on the top and bottom lines as the electronics retailer tries to break out of a sales slump.The company said revenue climbed slightly, driven by comparable sales growth of 2%. It reaffirmed its full-year guidance of revenue between $41.2 billion and $42.1 billion, in addition to adjusted earnings per share of $6.30 to $6.60. It expects comparable sales in the range of a decline of 1% to an increase of…

An Eli Lilly & Co. Zepbound injection pen arranged in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Thursday, March 28, 2024.Shelby Knowles | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesCVS Health on Thursday said it will restore coverage of Eli Lilly’s blockbuster weight loss injection Zepbound and start covering its new obesity pill on its standard drug plans – a win for the drugmaker and certain patients who will be able to access more treatment options.CVS will add Zepbound coverage on Oct. 1, and start covering Lilly’s newly approved Foundayo pill on June 1. The move will boost Lilly’s efforts to maintain…