While digitally enabled "jobs of the future" are still below their pre-pandemic level, new data suggests they are on the way back.
The big picture: The U.S. labor market is recovering faster than expected thanks to a so-far successful vaccination program and massive stimulus spending. Future-focused jobs suffered even more during the pandemic than employment as a whole, but the category is set to take off later this year.
Foxconn's groundbreaking deal to build a plant in Wisconsin — with record incentives to match — is being massively scaled back.
The big picture: The new contract with the state says the company no longer has to build an LCD facility to be eligible for the smaller subsidies, The Verge reports.
Note: Survey of 2,140 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses; Data: Goldman Sachs; Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios
Nearly 90% of small business owners say they are confident their shops will survive — compared to the 68% that said so this time last year, according to a new survey by Goldman Sachs.
Yes, but: Just one-quarter expect to maintain payroll when government relief funds are exhausted, assuming there's no further aid.
Bain Capital is considering a takeover bid for Toshiba, after the Japanese conglomerate fired its CEO and dismissed a $20 billion approach by CVC Capital Partners, according to Reuters.
Why it matters: This would be Bain's second mega-deal with the company. The consulting firm paid $18 billion for the Toshiba's flash memory unit in 2018, which currently stands as the largest-ever leveraged buyout of an Asian company.
DoubleVerify, a digital analytics company, went public on Wednesday at $35 per share, well above the $24 to $27 per share price set for the initial offering.
Why it matters: The IPO values DoubleVerify at roughly $4.5 billion. It's a huge feat for an ad tech firm, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sixth Street Partners yesterday got roundly rejected by a Delaware judge, who ruled that the firm cannot block a proposed merger between Dyal Capital Partners and Owl Rock Capital.
Why it matters: In the short term, this clears the path for Dyal and Owl Rock to go public via SPAC at an implied $12.5 billion market value. In the longer term, it could create hesitancy among private investment firms that are thinking about selling ownership stakes to Dyal or one of its growing number of rivals.
ATTN:, the digital media company that focuses on social change content, has landed a 7-figure deal with TikTok to produce videos for a new initiative called "TikTok for Good," ATTN: co-founder Matthew Segal tells Axios.
Why it matters: ATTN:'s sweet spot — tackling social issues through entertaining videos — has caught the attention of tech platforms looking to engage younger audiences that are more civically active than previous generations.
Procter & Gamble became the latest company to announce it will raise its prices in September to respond to higher commodity costs, joining consumer giants like Kimberly-Clark, Smuckers, Coca-Cola and a host of others.
Why it matters: Fed chair Jerome Powell and other top economists have all but decreed that inflation is anchored and will not rise materially going forward, but a consistent drumbeat of price hikes from major companies, consumer reports and market data suggest the world may not be going along with their conclusion.
With U.S. home sales scorching and home prices setting new record highs every month, Pacaso was able to demand a $1 billion valuation after less than five months in business by dividing up homeownership into fractional shares.
Why it matters: Pacaso's record-fast rise to unicorn status — "the fastest-growing company of anything I've ever seen before" co-founder Spencer Rascoff tells me on the latest episode of "Voices of Wall Street" — is a reflection of not just the market's appetite for companies offering fractional shares of things, but of just how expensive homeownership has become.
Hawaii will from next month allow residents who've been fully inoculated against COVID-19 to bypass the state's pre-travel tests and quarantine for inter-island flights.
Why it matters: Hawaii is the second U.S. state to launch a "vaccination verification" scheme after New York, AP notes. Many businesses view such "vaccine passports" as key to returning to normal, but some Republican governors have taken steps to block them.
The European Super League announced in a statement Tuesday night it's "proposing a new competition" and considering the next steps after all six English soccer clubs pulled out of the breakaway tournament.
Why it matters: The announcement that12 of the richest clubs in England, Spain and Italy would start a new league was met with backlash from fans, soccer stars and politicians. The British government had threatened to pass legislation to stop it from going ahead.
Corporate America is finding it can get messy when it steps into politics.
Why it matters: Urged on by shareholders, employees and its own company creeds, Big Business is taking increasing stands on controversial political issues during recent months — and now it's beginning to see the fallout.
Apple is launching a new podcast subscription service within the Apple Podcasts app, CEO Tim Cook confirmed Tuesday.
Why it matters: Until now, Apple's podcast ambitions have mostly been tailored to courting listeners. Tuesday's announcement was more focused on setting up a service in which podcast creators can better monetize their content.
