Author: Editor

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jean-Baptiste Wautier, who lives in the UK and is the founder of Wautier Family Office. It has been edited for length and clarity.I had a family, at least in part, to create what I never had: a home with love. My parents were not good people — we’ll leave it at that. We were middle-class, and while they had the money to support me, they didn’t, financially or otherwise.That’s part of where my drive came from. I was bullied in school and penniless in college. I had to make my own…

The global authority for Islamic finance is holding off on a planned change to rules for sukuk securities after an outcry from investors that the move would upend the $1 trillion market.To address those concerns, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions will hold at least one more round of talks with key stakeholders — including central banks, major issuers, rating companies and lawyers — before making a decision on its Standard 62 proposal, its Secretary General Omar Mustafa Ansari said in an interview with Bloomberg News.”We have put it on hold,” Ansari said via Zoom, after earlier…

A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors and large public companies. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.The U.S. office market has been in a tailspin since the start of the pandemic, when workers were first ordered home. Some, especially younger workers, never came back — leaving many office buildings half full or empty. The overall vacancy rate for offices, however, fell 20 basis points in the…

Quant firm Dimensional Fund Advisors has received formal approval to adopt a fund structure that for two decades has been used exclusively by Vanguard Group to save investors billions of dollars in taxes.Dimensional, founded by David Booth, said on Monday that regulators had granted it so-called exemptive relief to offer dual share class funds. Dimensional had applied to add exchange-traded fund share classes to 13 of its US equity funds, and said in a press release that it will continue to evaluate “subsequent candidates.” The US Securities and Exchange Commission in September had indicated that the approval was coming.The decision…

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposal to levy a $21-per-employee, per-month tax on companies was shot down by a city council committee on Monday.Members of the city council’s finance committee rejected the mayor’s proposed revenue ordinance, which included the so-called head tax. Some aldermen opposed that tax on employers while others said they voted against the ordinance because the mayor’s overall budget proposal doesn’t include enough cuts and would lean on bonds to pay for salaries for firefighters and settlements.The ordinance was part of a plan to raise roughly $586.6 million in additional revenue from various types of companies and business…

Methodiq brand advertisement. Courtesy: MethodiqIl Makiage parent company Oddity is branching out into medical-grade skin care with its new brand Methodiq, as the online retailer looks to compete with Hims and help to address what it called a “broken medical care system.” Methodiq, which has been in the works for four years and launched on Tuesday, is a telehealth platform that will offer 28 new products, including creams, supplements and cosmetics, that address acne, hyperpigmentation and eczema. The lineup is a mix of prescription and over-the-counter items that range in price from about $29 to around $59. Methodiq combines Oddity’s investments into…

Moving abroad is often painted as a romantic leap — a bold woman, a plane ticket, and an “Under the Tuscan Sun”-esque dream.And sure, it can be that. But many not-so-glamorous spreadsheets, late-night money panics, and small acts of courage go into making that dream even remotely possible.I’m a solo female freelancer who recently moved from the United States to Florence, Italy, with my 60-pound dog, Archie, in tow.After nearly a year of research, I decided Italy was the most logistically and financially feasible choice for me … even though I’d never been to the country before. The visa seemed…

People linger in the restaurant of the Netflix House experience center. Andrej Sokolow | Picture Alliance | Getty ImagesNetflix was the early leader in streaming. It’s been later to another crucial piece of the media playbook — merchandising and live events.The streamer has only recently begun adopting tried-and-true marketing methods that have been in play for the likes of the Walt Disney Company, Universal and Warner Bros. Discovery for decades: Namely, consumer product partnerships, special release events and venue destinations that drive fan engagement.In January, the company struck its first master licensing deal with Jazwares, the maker of Squishmallows, to…

In the age of vibe coding, almost anyone can quickly spin up a basic app or website.But that doesn’t mean your app is secure. Working with AI as your code assistant can lead to a product that’s pretty on the outside and riddled with risk on the backend.If your code fails to comply with modern privacy laws and other regulations, such as the European Union’s GDPR rules, for example, it could lead to a lawsuit or a fine.Enter Feroot, an AI startup that scans websites and apps to make sure their code is up to snuff with all the latest…

A Panera Bread sign hangs on the exterior of the restaurant on July 25, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty ImagesWhen Panera Bread began shrinking its sandwiches and skimping on salads, it started shedding customers.Now, to win them back, the chain plans to reinvest in the business and undo many of those same cost-cutting measures, it said Tuesday.Once the No. 1 fast-casual brand in the U.S., Panera has dipped to No. 3, ceding the top spots to Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panda Express. Last year, its sales fell 5% to $6.1 billion, according to Technomic estimates. For years,…