Axios

A Delaware judge's ruling rejecting Elon Musk's Tesla compensation package— for the second time — is but a small setback for his finances as his net worth soars in the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump's electoral triumph.

Why it matters: Musk was already the world's richest person before the election, and now his pocketbook and his power are getting even bigger.

McDonald's iconic barbecue sandwich — the McRib — officially returns to participating restaurants nationwide on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The fast-food giant is bringing back its popular, seasonal sandwich as it looks to drive restaurant sales and speed up recovery from an E. coli outbreak tied to onions served in Quarter Pounders.

XRP's post-election surge has made it the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, surpassing the stablecoin tether.

Between the lines: The native token for Ripple Labs' payments product, XRP is benefitting from bets on friendlier regulation and a few big news developments.

Catch up quick: Ripple has been wrapped up in a lawsuit with the SEC over XRP since December 2020. But Trump's win, and anticipation of a crypto-friendly SEC, has been a boon.

The Fed looks on track to cut interest rates again when its leaders meet in two weeks. But after that, it's anybody's guess how much easing will come in 2025 given the latest inflation trends.

Why it matters: Inflation progress has nearly halted as other uncertainties about the economy, including the possible effects of the next administration's policies, pile up.

China's Quectel is one of the world's largest manufacturers of IoT cellular modules, a key chip component, with nearly a 40% market share. Now it's licensing out its manufacturing tech and source code to an Ohio-based startup called Eagle Electronics, in a reversal of how these cross-border relationships have traditionally worked.

Why it matters: This reflects the U.S. onshoring trend for semiconductors, which is expected to intensify if President-elect Trump makes good on his threat to put new tariffs on China-made products.

BlackRock has agreed to buy private credit manager HPS Investment Partners for $12 billion in stock.

Why it matters: This would make BlackRock one of the largest players in one of Wall Street's hottest markets, with around $220 billion in private credit assets.

More than 1 in 5 workers in some U.S. cities were still clocking in from home as of 2023, per the latest census data.

Why it matters: Remote and hybrid schedules have made work versus life an easier equation for many Americans, like busy working parents — but they were never enjoyed equally nationwide.

Should the U.S. government be worried about a potential threat to the dollar's status as the dominant global reserve currency? President-elect Donald Trump thinks so — but then again, he also thinks it shouldn't.

Why it matters: Trump feels so threatened by the risk posed by a rival to the dollar that he's willing to impose 100% tariffs on countries considering such a move.

Christmas tree prices peak around Thanksgiving and mostly fall thereafter, new data shows.

Why it matters: For the live tree lovers among us, timing your annual purchase is a delicate balance between prices and how long you'll get to enjoy a majestic pine or spruce in your living room.