New Zealand sinks into recession, more rate cuts coming

Entrepreneur contributors express the importance of "boring" businesses like waste management and property maintenance as steady, low-risk investments due to consistent demand and high barriers to entry. Key lessons include focusing on essential services, mastering local market dominance, prioritizing operational excellence over marketing, leveraging technology strategically, and building value through assets and systems to create lasting value and potential millionaire status, applicable to businesses of all kinds. Full Article

Markets worldwide are jittery over fears about the global economy, with President Trump's firm stance on tariffs causing concerns about inflation and reduced consumer spending. Asian markets, including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, experienced declines, while Chinese shares remained relatively stable. The uncertainty surrounding tariffs and economic policies, coupled with a possible global recession, led to a sell-off in tech stocks and warnings from companies like Delta Air Lines about weakening consumer confidence impacting demand...

The U.S. power grid saw a significant increase in solar energy capacity in 2024, with 50 gigawatts of new solar generation added, surpassing all other sources of electricity. Despite criticism from Energy Secretary Chris Wright and President Trump, solar and battery systems continue to gain momentum, with projections showing them leading new capacity installations this year. While electricity rates have risen, demand is expected to drastically increase, emphasizing the importance of affordability, reliability, and safety...

Oracle Corp. shares initially rose in after-hours trading but ultimately fell as investors reacted to disappointing quarterly revenue, particularly from a cloud-services miss. Despite this setback, the company has secured a significant number of big cloud-computing contracts for the future, indicating potential growth opportunities in the long term. Full Article

President Trump is preparing to introduce new tariffs on foreign metals without granting exclusions or exemptions, despite previous concessions made on tariffs with Canada and Mexico. Foreign governments and industries are lobbying for exemptions ahead of the upcoming tariffs, including on steel and aluminum. The administration has shown willingness to make exceptions based on industry pressures, despite initial promises not to grant exclusions. Full Article

Elon Musk claimed a cyber attack on his social media platform X originated in Ukraine, leading to outages and business troubles, including Tesla's stock falling 15%. SpaceX lost a rocket, Starlink contracts were cancelled, and protests erupted over Musk's role in cutting government contracts. Musk criticized US aid to Ukraine, calling Senator Mark Kelly a "traitor" and advocating for the US to leave Nato. Full Article