Axios

We found out today that this year’s biggest online shopping day was smaller than last year’s — and that’s OK. 

Why it matters: The pandemic pushed more people to shop more online more often, prompting companies to spread deals out throughout the year to attract those dollars. 

Bret Taylor on Tuesday was named co-CEO of Salesforce.com, alongside company founder Marc Benioff, just one day after Taylor was named chairman of Twitter.

Why it matters: Taylor has been widely viewed as next in line to succeed Benioff, who's increased his involvement in philanthropic efforts and ownership of Time magazine, but the Twitter changes may have accelerated the Salesforce timeline.

The Federal Reserve will consider pulling back economic support sooner "as the threat of persistently high inflation has grown," chair Jerome Powell said during a congressional hearing on Tuesday.

Why it matters: This is the biggest signal yet the Fed is backing away from its stance that soaring prices would be fleeting — a change that could shift its policies that underpin the economy.

The two largest countries in the world seem intent on effectively banning their citizens from participating in crypto, which poses a serious threat to the crypto agenda.

Why it matters: The crypto world is global — but the real world is fragmented into nation-states, each of which claims control of what happens within its borders.

Every member of the Wirecutter Union will be eligible to receive overtime pay from union organizers for the hours they missed working overtime during the union's Black Friday holiday strike, thanks to an outpouring of donations to support the union's walkout.

State of play: The Wirecutter union held a five-day walkout over the holiday weekend in protest of the New York Times' management's negotiations with its union.

Digital media companies considering going public are watching BuzzFeed's expected stock market debut next week to see how investors will respond.

Why it matters: A slowdown in SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies) earlier this year pushed some digital media companies that were considering going public via SPAC IPOs away from the idea, such as Vice.

Here's a staggering stat: Americans' use of "buy now, pay later" options increased 438% between November 2019 and November 2021, according to an Adobe analysis reported by Retail Dive.

Why it matters: This is one of the biggest new trends in shopping right now. People are getting more and more comfortable with apps like Afterpay, Klarna and Affirm that facilitate "buy now, pay later," and let customers spread out the cost of purchases over a long period of time without a credit card.

Vox Media has inked a deal with WNYC, a member station of NPR, to distribute its flagship podcast "Today, Explained" to public radio stations across the country beginning next year.

• It's also poached Noel King, co-host of NPR's flagship show "Morning Edition," as editorial director and co-host of "Today Explained" with the podcast's current host Sean Rameswaram.

NBC News next Monday will debut a new show for its NBC News Now streaming service called, “NOW Tonight with Joshua Johnson,” starring the former MSNBC anchor who will now work for the streaming service full-time.

Why it matters: It’s the seventh recurring program NBC News has launched for its streaming service in the past year. NBC News executives argue their progress gives them a leg up in the streaming wars.

Sing it with me one more time: Elliott Management gets what Elliott Management wants.

Driving the news: Jack Dorsey yesterday stepped down as CEO of Twitter, nearly two years after the activist investor began pushing for his ouster. His replacement will be longtime CTO Parag Agrawal.

Edgewell, the Connecticut-based maker of Schick razors, acquired DTC women's razor maker Billie for $310 million in cash.

Why it matters: This is the final move of an antitrust chess match in which Billie was a pawn.

The verdict is in on Cyber Monday — the biggest online shopping day of the year — and consumers rendered a split decision. Spending for the day slid 1.4% versus 2020, according to the Adobe Digital Economy Index, as shoppers clicked less, but overall spending is up.

Why it matters: Supply chain disruption, pent-up pandemic demand and routines shaken up by remote work have all changed shopping habits. Industry observers say the way consumers shop now is another step in the transition to a new normal in retail.

In an unexpected twist, two conservative news networks — Newsmax and One America News Network— have come out in support of President Biden's progressive Federal Communications Commission (FCC) nominee Gigi Sohn, despite a broad conservative consensus against her.

Why it matters: If Sohn is confirmed, her appointment would give Democrats the majority they need to rewrite regulations for the communications sector. Some high-profile conservatives argue that could result in "censorship" against them.

Nearly 1,500: That's the number of all-electric trucks that the big European logistics company DB Schenker has pre-ordered from Volta Trucks.

Why it matters: It's the largest pre-order for electric trucks in Europe to date, the companies said.

The latest data on lithium-ion battery prices shows the continued downward march that will help make electric cars and energy storage more competitive, but reveals storm clouds too.

Driving the news: Average battery pack prices fell another 6% from last year to $132 per kilowatt-hour, per the research firm BloombergNEF. That's an 89% decline since 2010 in inflation-adjusted dollars.

What a difference a year makes. 2020 was a banner one for corporate philanthropy — 2021 not so much.

Driving the news: Companies are experiencing "fatigue," according to Sona Khosla, chief impact officer at Benevity, a platform for corporate giving that works with companies such as Apple, Nike and Microsoft.

The housing boom marches on as Americans rush to enter into contracts on new homes, according to fresh data out Monday from the National Association of Realtors.

The big picture: Contract signings increased 7.5% in October from September, representing a month-over-month increase in all regions, according to NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index.

The Biden administration’s supply chain offensive expanded yesterday, as the country entered the height of the holiday shopping season.

Catch up quick: The Federal Trade Commission launched a study into the role competition plays in supply chain issues and how those issues might cause consumer hardship.

Moderna's stock soared 12% Monday, putting its market cap just shy of $150 billion.

Driving the news: The Omicron variant of the coronavirus has raised a lot of questions, including whether the vaccines will remain as effective.

The Chinese government is heavily promoting tourism in Xinjiang while committing genocide against the region's native residents.

Why it matters: Xinjiang's tourism industry profits from a system that largely excludes Uyghur people while appropriating their culture for state purposes and the financial gain of China's majority ethnic group.

Airbnb has more than a dozen homes available for rent in China's Xinjiang region on land owned by an organization sanctioned by the U.S. government for complicity in genocide and forced labor, an Axios investigation has found.

Why it matters: The listings expose Airbnb to regulatory risk under U.S. law. They also land yet another American tech company in the crossfire between the U.S. and China.

Just when it seemed safe to travel overseas again, along comes Omicron.

Why it matters: The emergence of the new coronavirus variant couldn't come at a worse time, just weeks before millions of people are expected to travel for the holidays to reunite with loved ones they've missed during the pandemic.

On her fourth day of trial testimony, ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes described her 10-year romantic relationship with former president Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani as controlling, and said he would sometimes "force me to have sex with him when I didn’t want to."

Why it matters: While Balwani has also been similarly charged with fraud, the two are being tried separately, in part because some of Holmes' defense hinges on blaming him.

A U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) official on Monday called for a re-vote in a union election at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama.

Why it matters: The move could set the stage for another organizing drive at the e-commerce giant, which has, so far, fought off unionizing efforts in the U.S.