Walmart's announcement today that it plans to raise prices is expected to open the floodgates for wider retail price hikes.
Why it matters: The world's largest retailer — whose brand is inextricably linked to low prices and affordability — said despite the China trade deal earlier this week it is too late to avoid higher costs for consumers.
Meta is pushing back plans for a public release of its largest Llama 4 AI model, known as "Behemoth," because of concerns that it may not be enough of an advance on previous models, per a new Wall Street Journal report.
Why it matters: It's another indicator that the AI industry's scaling strategy — "just make everything bigger" — could be hitting a wall.
Airbnb is launching a new tier of exclusive, curated "experiences" — think hip hop wine tours in Portland or a Kansas City barbecue with Patrick Mahomes.
Why it matters: The company is increasingly going beyond what it is best-known for, arranging home rentals for travelers.
Databricks is one of the world's most valuable unicorns, fetching a $62 billion mark late last year. It's also become a top unicorn hunter, acquiring three startups for at least $1 billion.
Driving the news: The latest prize is database provisioning startup Neon, whose CEO Nikita Shamgunov has said that 80% of the databases created on Neon are created by AI agents instead of humans.
With major indicators from April — the month of peak tariff uncertainty — now in, none show the kinds of recessionary or inflationary conditions implied by business and consumer surveys.
Why it matters: Warnings and anecdotes are taking on greater importance as signs of how tariffs are working their way through the economy.
Major U.S. companies and brands are investing in printed publications but not in the way you might think.
Microsoft, Hinge and Costco have created their own print magazines to tell their corporate stories, enhance their reputation and engage with hard-to-reach audiences.
Why it matters: It's part marketing and part strategic storytelling, communication executives from these companies told Axios.
Educational institutions, law firms, broadcasters, nonprofits and corporate shareholders are all currently fighting or rejecting the Trump administration's policies and executive orders.
Live Nation's new summer concert promotion is coming, and the live music behemoth will offer $30 tickets to roughly 1,000 concerts.
Why it matters: The "$30 Ticket to Summer" launches May 21 and includes shows from Nelly, Luke Bryan, Halsey, blink-182, Leon Bridges, Billy Idol, Kesha, Willie Nelson and more.
Shares in UnitedHealth Group plunged on Thursday, their eighth straight day of declines, after a Wall Street Journal report on a purported criminal probe into alleged Medicare fraud.
Why it matters: The stock, a major Dow component, has now lost more than half its value since last December, when a key executive was shot and killed in broad daylight in New York City.
Walmart expects to raise some prices because of the impact of President Trump's tariffs, officials said Thursday.
Why it matters: The world's largest retailer, which had pledged to hold the line on pricing, said it was now too late to avoid higher costs for consumers, even with the China trade deal earlier this week.
The next phases of the IRA battle could pit GOP-friendly K Street players against House Republicans over the fate of major subsidies.
Why it matters: It highlights how legacy fossil fuel companies and groups have branched into climate tech sectors like hydrogen, offshore wind and carbon capture.
Archer Aviation has been selected as the "official air taxi provider" for the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028, the company said Thursday.
Why it matters: The nominally "no-car" Olympics are the biggest possible showcase for the future of urban air mobility.
Americans with spare cash love nothing more than shopping, and that includes snapping up stocks when they go on sale.
Why it matters: Retail investors rushed to buy the dip when the stock market plunged following the announcement of President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs on April 2.
President Trump on Thursday said he told Apple not to expand iPhone production in India, while also indicating the possibility of a sweeping new trade deal with the country.
Why it matters: Apple was reportedly planning to massively expand phone manufacturing for the U.S. market in India, as a workaround for the ongoing trade war with China.
The creativity of teams around the NFL is on display each year when the upcoming season's schedule is made public.
The big picture: Whether it's by recreating The Sims or asking fans to guess each team based on logo alone, ball clubs take a shot at going viral during a time in which there aren't any games on.
Google has overtaken IBM to become the leader in generative AI-related patents and also leads in the emerging area of agentic AI, according to data from IFI Claims shared first with Axios.
Why it matters: Patent filings, though they're not a direct proxy for innovation, indicate areas of keen research interest — and generative AI patent applications in the U.S. have risen by more than 50% in recent months.
Count Boeing as a big winner of the Trump administration's trade policy —despite a sometimes frosty relationship with the president.
Why it matters: It's a decisive turn for a company slammed by business and regulatory disasters caused by quality troubles, legal problems, labor issues and — most recently — trade walls.
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