Axios

Exxon CEO Darren Woods will likely make Mobil Lithium a key part of his address at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO summit on Wednesday, Hope writes from San Francisco, where the conference is taking place.

Why it matters: Sustainability is the dominant theme for this year's gathering, which draws thousands of private and public sector leaders from nearly two dozen member countries to align on trade and other economic priorities.

Walmart, Home Depot, Macy's and Target are among the big retailers issuing earnings this week, Hope writes.

Why it matters: Analysts and economists are watching for signs of growing consumer weakness entering the sector's most important quarter of the year — the holiday season.

• A new monthly Retail Monitor from CNBC and the National Retail Federation launched today shows that consumers took a break on spending in October, based on credit and debit card transactions.

The intrigue: In an interview at Axios' New York offices last week, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis president Neel Kashkari downplayed the argument that excess pandemic savings — now dwindling — have been driving consumption over the past year and a half.

No one should be surprised, Hope writes.

• Walter Isaacson's recently published authorized biography of Musk will serve as the basis for the screenplay of a new biopic from production powerhouse A24, Variety reports.

Musk seems on board: "Glad Darren [Aronofsky] is doing it. He is one of the best," he posted on X.

💭 Hope's biased thought bubble: If I've got to stare at a screen for a few hours it might as well be for Vince Vaughn as Musk — an actor who can switch from serious to silly quite easily.

• My other pick would be Matthew Macfadyen. He won hearts and minds as Tom Wambsgans in HBO's "Succession" and was one of my first interviews as a young journalist.

Much like in the U.S., vigorous consumer spending boosted growth in Asia's top three economies this year — namely China, Japan and India.

Driving the news: The region's strategic importance to the U.S. has been highlighted by ongoing tensions with Beijing, which will play out this week against the backdrop of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, where top officials will congregate.

More people will pass through airport security checkpoints around the country this year while traveling for Thanksgiving than any prior year, according to estimates from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Why it matters: A looming government shutdown could force air traffic controllers and TSA employees to work without pay, right as a projected record number of travelers descend on airports around the U.S.

Labor unrest is so intense this year that even labor unions are facing internal staff rebellions.

Driving the news: The 48 employees who make up the field staff of the National Education Association, the teachers' union, voted unanimously on Monday to authorize a strike.

All homebuyers now use the internet to find a house, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Why it matters: A bombshell verdict could upend America's broker fee system, which has stayed about the same, even as house hunters increasingly scroll listings online.

UAW president Shawn Fain and two other prominent Big Labor leaders are set to appear before a Senate committee Tuesday morning to talk about the union resurgence in the U.S.

Why it matters: With several big strikes now wrapped up — and yielding positive results for workers — the labor renaissance is moving forward.

Meditation practice is changing my perspective on the economy and markets.

Why it matters: The perpetual search for the next recession or crash — and the longing for a return to pre-COVID prices, office life, or trade — risk blinding us to the economic realities of the present.